Keep You Guessing
| Keep You Guessing | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 21, 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2006-2009 | |||
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 57:31 | |||
| Label | Aspirion | |||
| Producer |
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| Neil Carswell chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Keep You Guessing | ||||
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Keep You Guessing is the 2009 second solo album by Neil Carswell, former frontman of Southern rock band Copperhead. The album was released on April 21, 2009 via Aspirion Records.[4]
Background and history
[edit]After the release of his 2006 debut solo album A Good Man's Journey, Carswell began writing new material immediately, motivated by the lack of promotional support and commercial success for the previous record. The project evolved into a four-year undertaking that Carswell later described as the most involved and emotionally significant of his career.[5]
Final tracking sessions were completed at Sound Emporium in Nashville with a roster of seasoned musicians, including members of Bob Dylan’s and Outlaws’ touring bands. Mastering was completed by Grammy-winning engineer Richard Dodd.[6]
Promotion and release
[edit]"Altar Call" was released as the album's lead single on July 19, 2008 and received airplay on U.S. country radio. The single was distributed through the CDX compilation service as track 19, giving it exposure to mainstream, secondary, and non-reporting radio outlets. Carswell personally encouraged fans to request the song at local stations as part of a grassroots promotional effort.[7][8]
Leading up to the album's release, “Bright Lights” was released as a promotional single on March 16, 2009.
The album was officially released on April 21, 2009.[9]
Themes and writing process
[edit]All details listed below are directly from the album's liner notes.[10]
The album’s themes revolve around personal loss, spiritual reflection, and emotional healing. Many songs were written at Carswell’s cabin in North Carolina he built himself. “Bright Lights” explores the internal conflict between chasing fame and longing for home, while “Gypsy Lady” recounts the end of a relationship. “Since I Met You” and “Altar Call” were both written for and inspired by Carswell’s wife, Melissa, during a period of personal hardship.
Other tracks, such as “Time to Think” and “Nothing Left to Lose,” reflect on Carswell’s struggles with depression, faith, and the aftermath of his earlier band’s breakup. The latter was directly influenced by the film Man on Fire. “Big Sky” and “South Wind” reflect on youthful optimism and love, while “Temporary Relief” delves into spiritual awakening.
Reception
[edit]The single “Bright Lights” was praised by Today’s Country Magazine for its “Bob Seger feel,” noting Carswell’s blend of southern rock and classic country elements. The review highlighted the song’s narrative about chasing fame and returning home, while also praising the guitar work and lyrical sincerity.[11]
MusicRow’s Robert K. Oermann also reviewed “Bright Lights,” calling it a “buzzing guitar” track sung with “grit and fire.” He described Carswell as a “distinctive stylist” and praised the song as his second consecutive “winning single.”[12]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bright Lights" | Neil Carswell, Chris Anderson, Stu Kimball | 3:39 |
| 2. | "Gypsy Lady" | Neil Carswell | 4:23 |
| 3. | "Every Sad Song" | Neil Carswell | 3:34 |
| 4. | "She" | Chris Ethridge, Gram Parsons | 3:07 |
| 5. | "Keep You Guessing" | Neil Carswell | 4:19 |
| 6. | "Since I Met You (feat. Kim Keyes)" | Neil Carswell | 4:11 |
| 7. | "Till The Blues Come In" | Neil Carswell | 4:00 |
| 8. | "Time To Think" | Neil Carswell | 4:12 |
| 9. | "Nothing Left To Lose" | Neil Carswell | 3:43 |
| 10. | "Roll On" | Neil Carswell | 3:21 |
| 11. | "Carolina Line" | Loyd Neil Carswell, Stu Kimball | 3:02 |
| 12. | "Big Sky" | Chris Anderson, Neil Carswell | 2:56 |
| 13. | "South Wind" | Neil Carswell | 3:25 |
| 14. | "Temporary Relief" | Neil Carswell | 5:13 |
| 15. | "Altar Call" | Neil Carswell | 4:12 |
| Total length: | 57:31[13] | ||
Personnel
[edit]- Neil Carswell - lead vocals, acoustic guitar (tracks: 7, 8), backing vocals (tracks: 9, 10)
- Chris Anderson - lead guitar (tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15), backing vocals (tracks: 3, 8, 11, 12, 14), rhythm guitar (tracks: 3, 10)
- Jeff Cox - bass guitar (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 12)
- Kim Keyes - backing vocals (tracks: 5, 7, 11, 13, 14)
- Stu Kimball - lead guitar (tracks: 1, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15), rhythm guitar (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 14), tambourine (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14), backing vocals (track: 7), piano (track: 1)
- Kim Parent - backing vocals (tracks: 5, 6, 7, 13, 14)
- Mike Leveque - drums (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 12)
- Perry Coleman - backing vocals (tracks: 5, 6, 7, 13, 14)
- Donnie Herron - fiddle (tracks: 9, 10, 13)
- Judd Fuller - bass guitar (tracks: 6, 7, 13, 14)
- Johnny Neel - piano (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14), organ (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14)
- Randy Threet - bass guitar (tracks: 1, 3, 10)
- Russ Paul - banjo (track: 1), steel guitar (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14)
- Patty Barkas - backing vocals (tracks: 2, 4)
- Tramp - fiddle (tracks: 8, 15), mandolin (track: 8)
- Ross Sermons - upright bass (tracks: 8, 15), bass guitar (track: 9)
- Wes Powers - drums (tracks: 1, 3), tambourine (tracks: 9, 10, 11), claves (track: 9), shaker (track: 9), spoons (track: 11)
- Larry Campbell - mandolin (track: 11), steel guitar (tracks: 4, 6), fiddle (tracks: 11, 13)
- Steve Hinson - steel guitar (tracks: 2, 4, 5)
- Pat McDonald - drums (tracks: 5, 6)
- Darcel Wilson - backing vocals (tracks: 2, 4)
- Mark Beckett - drums (tracks: 9, 10)
- Dana Radford - backing vocals (tracks: 3, 6)
- Kevin Rapillo - drums (track: 11)
- Michaelle Keegan - backing vocals (track: 3)
- Jonathan Yudkin - strings (track: 5)
- Melissa Carswell - backing vocals (track: 3)
- Viktor Krauss - upright bass (track: 11)
Technical credits
[edit]- Neil Carswell - producer
- Stu Kimball - producer
- Phil Green - producer (tracks: 1, 3, 9, 10, 11), chief engineer (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- Chris Anderson - co-producer, engineer (tracks: 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14), mixing (tracks: 9, 10, 11)
- Richard Dodd - mastering
- William J. Patton Jr. - executive producer
- Brian Graban - assistant engineer (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 9, 12)
- Earl Drake - assistant engineer (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- Kyle Wilson - assistant engineer (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- Mike Lapierre - assistant engineer (tracks: 6, 7, 13, 14)
- Ben Flowers - chief engineer (tracks: 9, 11), mixing, (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- Mike Poole - chief engineer (tracks: 1, 3)
- Dennis Gulley - chief engineer (track: 10)
- Taylor Pollert - chief engineer (track: 3), assistant engineer (track: 1)
References
[edit]- ^ "Sounds of South: Neil Carswell - Keep You Guessing (2009) - Album Review". Sound of South. Staff. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ^ "Keep You Guessing Album US 2009 on Aspirion Records Group, Inc. label Rock, Blues, Folk, World and Southern Rock". ArtistInfo. Web Staff. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "Artist: Neil Carswell - Album Details: Keep You Guessing - Genre: Country, Alt Country, Southern Rock - Year: 2009 - Label: Aspirion". airplaydirect.com. Aspirion /East Winds Records. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "Allmusic: Keep You Guessing (Neil Carswell album)". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ "Keep The Faith - An Interview with Southern Rocker Neil Carswell, by Michael Limnios". Blues GR. Michael Limnios. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Neil Carswell-Keep You Guessing Review". muzikman.net. Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
- ^ "Radio Spins And Current Location of Radio Airplay For The New Singles". Neil Carswell. Admin. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ^ "UPDATE: The lead single Altar Call from the new album 'Keep You Guessing' has been sent to radio". neilcarswell.com. Staff. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
- ^ "(CD - Aspirion 24036) Keep You Guessing - Neil Carswell". Allmusic. Web Staff. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Neil Carswell: Keep You Guessing (CD Booklet)" (PDF). Internet Archive. Aspirion Records. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "Today's Country Magazine: July 2008 Issue - Review of Neil Carswell's new single 'Bright Lights'". archive.org. Today's Country Magazine. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Robert K Oermann - DISClaimer (3/13/09) - New Single Release". musicrow.com. Robert K Oermann. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "Neil Carswell – Keep You Guessing (2009)". spotify.com. Aspirion Records. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ "Album Credits List: Keep You Guessing by Neil Carswell". Discogs. Staff. Retrieved 26 May 2025.