Michael Carpenter & The CRC (Country Rock Collective), return with their second single “It Ain’t Over (Til You Tell Me That We’re Done)”, to be released on July 17, 2023.

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The new single carries on the aesthetic established on the successful debut single “Short Time Livin'”, with appearances from a new batch of some of Australia’s finest country session players. The lineup this time includes Carpenter (rhythm and hook guitar, percussion, keys), Mitch Cairns (bass), Amy Vee (backing vocals), Paul Bain (drums and percussion), Damian Cafarella (lead and rhythm guitars) and Jy-Perry Banks (pedal steel). It was recorded in the musicians’ own studios, with Carpenter pulling it together with the stereo and Dolby Atmos mix at the House Studios in Sydney. The Track was mastered by Nick Franklin.
 
The rollicking track shows the band stepping on the pedal with crunchy guitars, a twangy hook, muscular drums, howling bass and Vee’s backing vocals dancing around Carpenter’s earnest lead vocal. The track is an ode to the desire for our hero to stick with a failing relationship, determined to rebuild and salvage rather than run. Carpenter says “at my age I’m seeing relationships in all states of joy and disrepair. This is a tribute to some friends, and they know who they are, who not only stuck it out, but somehow survived and flourished.”

The CRC continues to evolve in style and substance with Carpenter well and truly committed to the project. “We have the next few singles ready to go with a great variety of musicians and singers all bringing their ‘A-game’.” More songs will be written later in the year and hopefully an album will present itself in 2024.
 
The first single for the project, “Short Time Livin’”, released in May, was a well received calling card for the new project. With healthy streaming numbers, good radio play and plenty of airplay on CMT for the clever video, it established the new project as another strong chapter in the evolving story of Carpenter’s career.

The CRC will be performing its first live appearances later in the year.