Embodying the everyday struggles of big city living paired with the simple joys of life, Sparkle Carcass has released their new record, Maraschino Chevy, following their singles "Sippin' On A Cool One" and "Rainy Day Head."
Based on vocalist and songwriter Cody Palmer's experiences living in Chicago in 2020, Maraschino Chevy is an album about the cold sting of loneliness and getting back to what works.
Through a rich and lively alt-country honky tonk sound and sorrowful lyrics about lost love and drinking at the bar, this is a record that finds hope by mourning within the music.
The record's lead single was "Sippin' On a Cool One," which is a cover of an obscure 1970s country act called Rollin' Country, and was discovered by Palmer by chance on the radio. "I thought it was incredible, and being a DJ and record head, I tried to look that song up so I could buy a copy, but I just couldn't find anything anywhere about it," says Palmer. Later, the band managed to find a copy, and the song has never sounded better. It stands out as a simple act of joy, pulling an unfairly overlooked band from outside the depths of country's forgotten history.
The record's latest single, "Rainy Day Head," is a prime example of the album's overall feel. The track's combination of steel guitar, electric melodies, and Palmer's well-enunciated vocal delivery make the listener feel the strain of cerebral isolation. The lyrical themes form the album's center. The band knows there is nothing quite like sitting at the bar with mistakes that put you there as your only friends. Palmer makes us feel it with lines like "Thinkin' of how I made the same damn mistakes / When I think about you wanna' start all over again."
The LP features another deep cut cover with the song "Single Again." The song was written by Gary Stewart, who was known in the 70s as the "King of Honkytonk." It fits perfectly on a record that displays these vintage influences from its very first chords.
And be sure not to bypass the record's closer, "Caldwell County." The song is almost cinematic, opening with piano chords that tell a story all on their own. It provides catharsis from the downtrodden atmosphere of the rest of the LP, being a song about washing away sorrows through returning to what you love.
The lyrics specifically mention family, an all the more significant theme considering that Palmer's mother, Tammie Messick, is the one playing piano on the track. "It was the only song I was able to write while living alone through the pandemic," Palmer states. "I had just got off the phone with my mom when she called to see how I was doing. It ended up being one of the longer songs I'd written, so I kinda just tabled it for a while. I eventually brought it to the band and wanted to blow it out and make it this big epic soul thing, and I'm really happy how it turned out. My mom is playing the piano on the track, and I'm so proud to have been there the first time she's ever been recorded."
Sparkle Carcass recently wrapped up shows in Kansas City, Houston, Austin, and other cities, and has their album release show at The Hideout in Chicago on November 14th. Catch them while you can, and be sure to crack open a cool one while you do.
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