Customer Reviews

Brandi Carlile

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have not been as moved by a singer since the sixties, and I'm in my sixties. Brandi Carlile has a voice and a soul that could render any song fantastic. When people see this old dude with headphones in the airport or someplace they will probably think I'm listenting to Frank Sinatra or a self improvement mp3. Man, they don't even know. I recommend anything Brandi Carlile has for sale, and you gotta see her live.

I first saw Brandi Carlile open for Jamie Cullum at Town Hall in NYC. I'd never heard of her, and sometimes opening acts struggle to get the attention of the audience, but many people in the sophisticated crowd were digging her bigtime. I'd missed the intro so had to ask around for who this young woman was with the powerful voice, incredible range and emotional delivery. She knows how to get loud and when to get soft. I then saw her headline at an intimate show downtown (at the Bowery Bar), and she was both riveting and charming, with songs from this album and gutsy covers like "Folsom Prison Blues" and "The Times They Are A'Changing." The album is addictive--I can listen to it over and over again. I'm bummed that I don't have the bonus tracks. I'll probably try to download those somewhere rather than buy the album again. I love the way she phrases the lyrics, which read like poetry, sort of like a Leonard Cohen song: "Hold out I know you feel it getting cold out/Without the blanket for your soul now/Before you know it you'll be frozen/You have to see this through/There's no one here but you" is from "Follow." Speaking of Leonard Cohen, Brandi does a mean live version of "Hallelujah" (not as good as Jeff Buckley's, but then his is about as sublime as could be). Here's another sample from "Throw It All Away": "When you're near me I have no fear/When I'm untrue you see right through me/You know me as deep as the sea goes/Calm my head whenever the storm blows...This love branches out like an oak tree/Reach for the sky and roots to the sea/So when you're shaken down and broken/Find some peace of mind in knowing." I love the unusual, unexpected rhymes, like "broken" and "knowing" in those last two lines and "hold out" with "cold out" with "soul now" in the first quote. Her cowriter on many of the tracks (and sole writer on some) is Tim Hanseroth, who plays lead guitar and backup vocals and also deserves kudos. This is an incredibly talented artist, and I look forward to hearing more from her in the future. Now, buy this album!!!!

The entire album is good, but I'd give it five stars for the tracks "What Can I Say" and "Throw It All Away" alone. They are fantastic and unlike anything I've heard in a while. Brandi Carlile's music is an interesting mix of country, rock and folk that is very appealing and she has an outstanding voice. If you like Mindy Smith, Sarah McLachlan or even Jewel, and especially if you like all three of those artists, I highly recommend this CD.

I recently bought BC's new album (The Story) and I liked it so much that I decided to buy this one too (the version with 2 'bonus tracks' - so, strictly speaking, this is not her first album). I think we all have artists, whose voices we find so appealing, that we will go out and buy almost any of their albums; for me, Brandi Carlile is one such artist. In fact, I suspect that if she made a recording of 'The Amazon Terms and Conditions of Sale', I'd probably buy this too - it's that bad (my addiction, NOT her voice, I should hasten to add). The superlatives accorded to 'The Story' (also reviewed) are no less applicable here, so I won't bother repeating myself; instead, I will concentrate on the differences between the two albums (at least, as I perceive them) :

'The Story' combines some songs which are fairly dramatic (sometimes climactic) with others that are gentler and which have a strong 'folksy/rootsy' flavour. By comparison, on 'Brandi Carlile', although these influences are also present, many of the song structures and melodies are more conventional (more 'mainstream'). I'd say the songs have slightly stronger melodies with 'hooks' which give them more of a 'pop feel'; on the other hand, they don't seem to have quite the same intensity ('Sixty Years On' being one obvious exception) - but I think this has more to do with the types of song rather than any lack of commitment by BC.

With the possible exception of a couple of songs, the overall mood on 'The Story' is moderately sombre and this is reinforced by the absence of any up-tempo songs; however, on 'Brandi Carlile, there is much more variety in mood and tempo. On both albums, production is never overdone (so you get a very 'stripped down' sound) but I thought it was cleaner and more 'disciplined' on 'The Story'.


There isn't a single bad song here (or on 'The Story', for that matter); everyone will have their own favourites - here are a few brief comments about some of mine (songwriters in brackets):

WHAT CAN I SAY (Tim Hanseroth) - A mid-tempo very catchy song with a soft undulating melody giving it a 'folksy' feel; the addition of fairly emphatic percussion produces a song that 'rocks a bit' also.

CLOSER TO YOU (Brandi Carlile/Tim Hanseroth) - Another catchy song - this time fairly up-tempo; some of the acoustic guitar breaks remind me a little of early Simon & Garfunkel.

THROW IT ALL AWAY (Brandi Carlile/Tim Hanseroth) - A song which has relatively gentle passages alternating with more powerful ones and these have an intensity that is reminiscent of some of Roy Orbison's music.

HAPPY (Brandi Carlile) - Mid-tempo song with some really fluent guitar and delicate 'feathery' percussion; again, there is something here that reminds me of Simon & Garfunkel.

SIXTY YEARS ON (LIVE) (Elton John/Bernie Taupin) - A fine song this (as are many from EJ's first half dozen or so albums). It is a bit 'angst' laden so it may not appeal to everyone, but there can be no doubt that this is a potent rendition. You can detect some of EJ's vocal intonation in BC's singing but, nevertheless, she makes the song her own - there can't be many singers who can interpret EJ songs in a way that does them full justice.



As I am clearly 'hooked' on BC's music, my reviews will be biased; so, if you are thinking of buying either of her albums, it might be prudent to check out some of the less favourable reviews also (if you can find any). In terms of my enjoyment, I preferred 'The Story' (to put things into perspective - I enjoyed 'Brandi Carlile' very much, but The Story' just 'blew me away'!); but any differences that might exist between her two albums are slight. All I can say is that I find BC's voice and music very addictive - great stuff.

She's the girl next door, with the vocal roar of a tiger. She will command your attention with her musical instincts and aptitude! If you worry about purchasing a freshman CD from a newcomer...Worry NOT! She is a phenom with unparalleled vocal dexterity....to be placed among the respected ranks of music's classic icons.

(Fair Warning! Listening to this CD may result in a Carlile Listening Addiction)

This album is magic. A year ago I was waiting in the checkout line at Barnes & Nobels, and heard one song in the background from this album that I liked, then another and another. At first, I wasn't paying attention, but her voice drew me and I bought the CD. I'm glad it did. I have listened to it dozens of times since then. The poetry of the lyrics takes time to settle in, but the music is sweet from the start. I don't know why she isn't better known. That one experience, standing at BN, is the only time I've heard her outside of my music collection. Can't wait for "The Story" to come out.

Of course I had to get Brandi Carlile's album with two new bonus tracks: Sixty Years On and a re-mix of Tragedy which were both on ABC's Grey's Anatomy.

The music: Sixty Years On, by Elton John, is powerfully and beautifully played and sang by this upcoming...or shall I just say superstar, Brandi Carlile.

The re-mix of Tragedy is a slower cello version, played by Josh Neumann.
It's a beautiful alternative to the original song.
I recommend this album because I've listened to the (original) album everyday since I bought it back in December.

Yes, it's that good.

And if you already own the CD (without the bonus tracks), just buy it again! You'll wear out the other one on your CD player anyway and you'll need a new one! Enjoy :)

This album from start to finish was seamless and great. I didn't hear a track I didn't like. Brandi Carlile's voice sounds amazing on the album. Every song is well written and well sung. Enjoy!

Two or three very strong songs on this debut album. Carlile and "The Twins" did a song in concert without amplification by stepping to the front of the stage at Town Hall, in front of the monitors, something I have never seen an artist or band do before. They were "checking out the acoustics". I thought that showed some imagination.

Ok, maybe because her voice doesn't shatter the glass in your windows? She sings her own blues influenced songs in a warm, clear, rich voice that makes you want to hear what she has to say. Bonnie Raitt comes to mind, but Brandi has her own unique style. There's not an inferior song on the entire CD, and I'm about to buy her new one. You should too!