Not for Sale

As if you needed another example of how the national IQ has dipped below room temperature, somebody at Sire must've been brain dead (or simply deaf, really dumb, and blind) when they decided to shelve the brilliant solo debut by Tim Carroll. Originally titled Rock and Roll Band and scheduled for a mid-1998 release, it got pushed back again and again until Carroll just acquired the rights and released it himself as Not for Sale. Available mainly from roots rock specialty stores, this isn't easy to track down, but it's worth the effort. The album is a rock-country hybrid that might be a bit too authentic for those who believe Shania Twain is in that catagory, but for fans of real music — from Chuck Berry to George Jones to the Sex Pistols — this album will prove to be a revelation. This is real music folks. Tim Carroll's skill as a lyricist is on full display here. Realistically, every song on this disc is worthy of mention, but several tracks stand out as all-timers. The leadoff number, "The House Ruth Tore Down," is as brilliant as its title, a take on Yankee Stadium and a bad relationship. A song about the ultimate girl, "(She Just Knows) Good Rock From Bad" is not only a blazing rocker, but a description of what every guy reading this is looking for — a girl who knows good rock from bad. "Find a Way to Win" is an exquisite ballad with Velvet Underground "Sunday Morning"-like bells adding to the overall picture of struggle the song recounts. In "Girl That's Hip," Carroll states, "I want a girl that's hip/but not THAT hip." Hunt this down and marvel at the insights and humor of Tim Carroll.