Jo Carter – More Than Meets the Eye

Jo Carter
More Than Meets the Eye
1990 (no label)
Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia

Jo Carter – All vocals, keyboards
Rob Smith – Guitars
Darren Hills – Bass
John Waller – Drums

Bruce Allan – Saxophone
Phillip Hartl – Violin
Steve Gilfillan – Drum programming
Jeff Todd – Drum programming

Side 1:

1. Always
2. Someone Like You
3. Without You
4. In My Heart
5. Leave Our Children Alone

Side 2:

1. Poor Johnny
2. Written on His Face
3. There is Hope
4. Time is Running Out
5. From the Soul

The first track kind of comes across like a Shelley Rodgers track – adult pop or the various names for mellow music played by musicians that put a bit more jazz proficiency into the songs rather than the typical pop simplicity. Then the second track kicks into a prog/hard rock-ish level. It’s still pop, but there is a darkness to it that rockers will like. The thing is, each song starts off like a piano ballad, before changing after the intro. Someone quickly previewing each song might totally miss all of this. Maybe that explains the album title? There are several songs that are slower ballads, so overall this is still a pop album. There is just more in there to some of the songs that, well, first meets the eye. “Poor Johnny” and “Time is Running Out” are other rockers that you don’t see coming.