Carolyn Wonderland has more than earned her reputation as a fiercely independent artist. Fans love her for her dynamic guitar playing, formidable songwriting, and pure Texas vocals. Wonderland plays original, bluesified, cosmic soul music, mixed with heavy doses of Tex-Mex and riff-fueled rock ‘n’ roll. Moreover, she has been performing professionally since age fifteen and has led a colorful and adventurous life. She has spent her entire career on the road, playing with icons from Townes Van Zandt to Levon Helm. Also, she’s worked with Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Bob Dylan and John Mayall, all while writing her own story.
On her new album, 2025’s Truth Is, Wonderland reflects on the world with honesty and righteous conviction. Here, she does this with vividly detailed, instantly memorable songs. Wonderland’s bold and insightful songs tell common-sense truths that, in her words, “need to be told.” They are driven by her sometimes savage, sometimes gently melodic guitar fingerpicking, along with her full-throated yet still vulnerable vocals. Also, Wonderland explains the album’s brutally honest subject matter. “There’s always hope and we’re still here for each other, but at some point, you have to sing about the elephant in the room.”
Truth Is is a timeless album for these times. Over the course of the album’s twelve songs, Wonderland and her band create lasting musical magic. Wonderland stakes her claim among the most influential roots music voices today. Further, her courageously empowering music packs an emotional wallop. Here, every track on the album radiates a rare intensity that is welcoming and ultimately uplifting. “She’s something else,” Bob Dylan once told Ray Benson. “She should be nationwide.”
Recommended for fans of Marcia Ball, Aaron Neville, Susan Tedeschi and Delbert McClinton.
📸: Mary Bruton
