• Artist: Jim Carroll
• Rating:
• Styles: Punk, New Wave, American Punk
• Track Picks: "I Want the Angel," "People Who Died," "Wicked Gravity"

Review

It's generally imagined that the highest praise one can bestow on a rock songwriter is to say their words read like poetry, but the truth is no more than a handful of notable poets have distinguished themselves as rock songwriters (supposedly a less demanding form), and several have displayed a embarrassing lack of understanding of the popular song form. Jim Carroll is one of the very few authors who convincingly brought his work from the printed word to the rock & roll stage, growing into a passionate and commanding rock singer as well as a tough, intelligent songwriter, and his first album, Catholic Boy, best captures his strengths. Carroll's memoir The Basketball Diaries made clear he had an uncanny knack for capturing the dark and gritty rhythms of the New York streets, while his poetry collections such as Living at the Movies recorded the edgy grace of his verse, and Carroll was able to merge both of those qualities on his songs for Catholic Boy. Of course, this being rock & roll, it's the gritty stuff that's stands out best, especially the unrelenting "People Who Died" and the pained and bitter title cut. But Carroll is also able to find something beautiful as well as troubling in the demimonde he chronicles on "Wicked Gravity" and "Day and Night," and if he's a better writer than a singer, he brings his songs across with a passion and dramatic intensity that more than compensates for his narrow range, and the lean, guitar-led attack of his band makes a good backdrop for these songs. On Catholic Boy, Carroll doesn't come off as a poet slumming in pop music, but like a born rock & roller baring his soul, and that's a lot more than you can say for anything Allen Ginsberg put on vinyl. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Wicked Gravity		Jim Carroll	Jim Carroll Band	(4:57)
Three Sisters		Jim Carroll, Terrell Winn	Jim Carroll Band	(3:19)
Day and Night		Jim Carroll, Allen Lanier	Jim Carroll Band	(2:23)
Nothing Is True		Jim Carroll, Brian Linsley	Jim Carroll Band	(3:25)
People Who Died		Jim Carroll	Jim Carroll Band	(5:07)
City Drops into the Night		Jim Carroll, Brian Linsley, Steve Linsley	Jim Carroll Band	(7:28)
Crow		Jim Carroll, Terrell Winn	Jim Carroll Band	(3:02)
It's Too Late		Jim Carroll, Wayne Woods	Jim Carroll Band	(3:04)
I Want the Angel		Jim Carroll, Brian Linsley	Jim Carroll Band	(2:52)
Catholic Boy		Jim Carroll	Jim Carroll Band	(3:05)

Credits

Jim Carroll (Vocals), Jim Carroll (Main Performer), Jim Carroll (Performer), Neon (Vocals), Neon (Vocals (Background)), Bob Clearmountain (Producer), Bob Clearmountain (Engineer), Bob Clearmountain (Mixing), Hilary (Vocals), Hilary (Vocals (Background)), Janet (Vocals), Janet (Vocals (Background)), Amy Kantner (Vocals), Lenny Kaye (Guitar), Bobby Keys (Saxophone), Allen Lanier (Keyboards), Brian Linsley (Guitar), Steve Linsley (Bass), Earl McGrath (Producer), Jon Tiver (Guitar), Terrell Winn (Guitar), Wayne Woods (Drums), Amy Kanter (Vocals), Jim Carroll Band (Performer), Sally (Vocals), Sally (Vocals (Background))