Photo by Kyle LaMere
With tracks capturing such topics as the experience of growing up in a working class family and facing anger with defiance, you may think Boston to Bristol is the title of a new release by Celtic Punk legends Dropkick Murphys, but you would be wrong. It is in fact the hilarious new comedy album from Shawn Carter, a Boston native who relocated to Bristol, Tennessee during the pandemic.
“My wife and I had moved into an RV in February of 2020 and when the world shut down because of COVID we ended up living in the town we only planned to visit,” said Carter in a statement explaining how he landed in the south and went on to open the Blue Ridge Comedy Club.
Right out of the gates, at the top of Boston to Bristol, which was recorded at The Rockwell in Somerville, MA, Carter talks about the move and addresses the elephant in the room, which he explains he does every time he talks to people when he returns to his hometown.
“The answer is yes, I’m vaccinated, but I got my vaccine at a NASCAR track,” he says to waves of laughter.
Much of the album is dedicated to the dichotomy between living in Boston and Bristol, covering everything from the varying condition of old cars in the vastly different climates to the Tennessee definition of “home church.”
A literal move across the country isn’t the only journey Carter finds the funny in on the release. Going from his first to second marriage, comparing childhood and parenthood, and the strange experience of dropping out of community college to go on to perform near some of the most elite colleges in the country, are all milestones that lead to laughter as Carter nonchalantly unpacks moments from his life.
On top of all the jokes, Boston to Bristol is a really fun listen as Carter is deft in his use of mechanisms like absurdist imagery, alternate endings and micro crowd-work which he peppers in with sparse restraint. The album certainly showcases a traditional stand-up set, but these little embellishments inspire smiles as he builds towards the final punchlines.
Elsewhere on the album, Carter shares how baby-proofing his home has worked against him and why a dog named Cleo led his wife to a new religion of sorts. “The Most Angry I’ve Ever Made Anybody” closes things out with a tale about what happens when comedy and business collide.
Whether you are a new parent, a second-time spouse, a pet lover, or someone who enjoys finding humor in everything from going jogging to mistrusting well-meaning strangers, Boston to Bristol, which is available via Blonde Medicine, will have everyone laughing at the absurdities of life common to everyone across the country, all the way from Massachusetts to Tennessee.
Click here to pick-up Boston to Bristol on Bandcamp and head over to BlondeMedicine.com for more information about the release. Shawn Carter’s Blue Ridge Comedy Club can be found online at Blueridgecomedy.com.