Carbon Copy

Album Review

Carbon Copy is a sincere effort by singer Joe Cerisano to capture endearing themes of family and tradition onto a disc of rock-inflected pop. His humble, heartfelt style — part Eric Clapton, part Bruce Springsteen, part Bob Seger — uses blues, gospel, and country-rock melodies to explore intimate and personal revelations. Spirited melodies meld with convincing storytelling as Cerisano sings, "The older I get, the more I understand/I'm a Carbon Copy of my old man."

"Healing Hand" employs the reverent joy of a gospel chorus, whereas "Reasons" evokes the emotionalism of a Bob Seger ballad. Carbon Copy also features some of rock's most accomplished guitarists (Eric Weissberg, Jeff Pevar, and Ira Siegel) who have worked with the likes of John Denver, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, James Taylor, Celine Dion, and Steve Winwood. With its penetrating moral (and mortal) reflections, Carbon Copy considers loss and discovery through one man's vibrant musical canvas.