Deana Carter

Deana Carter is the daughter of famed guitarist Fred Carter Jr., who, it seems, had his finger in every great musical pie of the last several decades. The Chain is a tribute to some of the amazing songs her father added his touch to over the years. These aren’t straight covers, however — her interpretation of "The Weight,” made famous by the Band, has its own sweet sadness to it, which is brought to fruition by her rough but sweet alto. She also teams up with some of the original artists, recording "Love is Like a Butterfly” with Dolly Parton and "On the Road Again” with Willie Nelson. Though there is charm to the concept, it’s hard to feel like its existence adds much to the greater musical universe — each recording is nice, and the record collects some of the best songwriting in existence, but the songs don’t feel new. They are nice covers but need something more to allow this record to stand on its own.