Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding!, October 5, 2009
I've had the vinyl release for several days now and am quite pleased while looking forward to acquiring the CD for my car. I've been listening to Brandi Carlile and the Hanseroth brothers since I received a 'song-of-the-day' iTunes card from Starbucks in October of '07 highlighting the song 'Turpentine'. A few of these songs written by Brandi alone are so heartfelt, it truly feels as though she's desperately reaching out to disconnected people in her past.
The subtle use of instrumentation and orchestration in this third release is beautifully produced and does not in any way obscure from Brandi's unparalleled voice. She could sing (or yodel) her weekly grocery list, and I would drop what I'm doing to listen... anytime.
My current favorite tracks are 'Looking Out' (w/Amy Ray), 'Dying Day', 'Pride And Joy', 'Before It Breaks', and 'Touching the Ground'. Basically the entire album will grow on you. The upbeat song 'Caroline' is a wonderful treat with Elton John playing the piano the way ONLY Elton John can. Highly recommended!
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25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enough vinegar in her voice to clean windows --- the arena awaits, October 5, 2009
It takes supreme confidence to start a rock concert by stepping in front of the microphone with your band and singing a country number that calls for you to... yodel.
Brandi Carlile is that confident.
And that good.
Make that devastating --- she may be the best female singer now working in rock or country.
At the Beacon Theater in New York, she worked through the songs on Give Up the Ghost and its predecessor, 'The Story'. The flow was organic --- she is one of those talents that arrives fully-formed. The crowd at the Beacon cheered wildly. The arena awaits.
The arena lies ahead because Brandi Carlile has enough vinegar in her voice to clean windows. She can whisper, she can shout --- and she can scream. And when she screams, she cuts through whatever is keeping your heart armored and shatters your defenses. Tasers have nothing on her.
It doesn't hurt that she's flanked by two guitarists --- twins, as it turns out --- who are so tall you think they're on stilts. Or that her drummer is a spiky-haired woman from Brooklyn. Or that, to one side, a cello produces exquisite balance. (On the new CD, she makes do with guests like Elton John.)
And it's a pleasant bonus that she's enormously appealing. Between songs, she's funny and tender and a little surprised by the rising trajectory of her career. But when she straps on an electric guitar, aims it at the audience and starts bouncing around --- that's something else.
Carlile puts her band through Beatle harmonies. She does Johnny Cash train songs. She makes "Let It Be" sound fresh. She does a song about a high school friend who killed himself that had tears flowing all around me. And, goofing around, she runs through some country songs that are compellingly bad/good. Among them is "Stand By Your Man," which contains these lyrics: "And if you love him/ Oh be proud of him/ 'Cause after all he's just a man." For Tammy Wynette, that was an expression of compassion. For Brandi Carlile's audience at the Beacon --- I'd say it was 80% female --- that was a punch line.
Don't wait until she's huge to see and hear her.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You will LOVE this whole album. I do., October 8, 2009
Hurry, buy this Album!
This is 'Get-Stuck-In-Your-Head' music. As in catch yourself singing in the shower!
From the lyrics to the beat to..EVERYthing. Her voice is such a great story all by itself. All raspy and mysterious with feeling and angst. I just added this whole album to my iPod under FAVORITES!
I can't believe this is the first I'm hearing Brandi's music? I'm not a big Grey's Anatomy fan so I didn't realize a bunch of her songs have been on it.
I read that she is a big fan of Indigo Girls, that was enough for me to give her a listen.
I find myself listening over and over to the faster paced songs: Looking Out, Dying Day and Dreams. Perfect for my exercise playlist.
But I groove on the slower ones too.. (especially Pride and Joy and I Will) they will go into my late at night blogging music!
Here are the more toe tappin' songs {I could not pick a favorite out of them}. Seriously. I am in LOVE with this music.
LOOKING OUT. The part that gets stuck in my head:
Some People get religion. Some people get the truth. I never get the truth...
and
I am afraid of flying blind afraid of inquiring minds afraid of being left behind...
DYING DAY. My 8yrold heard this song and now calls it "that funny song about the kisses"!
Head catching lyrics:
How I miss you and I just wanna kiss you and I'm gonna love you til my dyin' day...
How these days grow long.
I'm having a hard time deciding which song is my favorite one. This one is for sure top three.
DREAMS. This was the first song off the album to be released and I fell in love with it when I first heard it. I added it to my blog and facebook, I'm her evangelist. I want everyone to hear this song. Fave Lyrics:
How long can you hold your breath can you count to ten, can you let it pass....?
then
...in the dreams I can feel the way I can just come clean.. I keep it to MYSELF!!
CAROLINE. Terrific beat, a love story unfolds
I'm on my way back home to you,
won't you say a prayer for me, I hope you will remember me, you're always on my mind.
And then a male voice comes in on this song... I LOVE the duet there!!
IF THERE WAS NO YOU. This one falls somewhere between the upbeat songs and the more calm ones. But it still is one of my more favorites on the album.
Nothing you could do could make me turn my back on you, when you're lookin' for a fight... I'm your man.
This is from Brandi's website/newsletter:
She writes...
"Great tour! I'm so pleased to start a new chapter and bring out Give Up The Ghost on tour for all to hear and see. We've got new covers in the fall, new arrangements, new songs, instrumentation, and lots of surprises. See you out on the road with the changing leaves."
Sheesh she even writes her newsletter in prose! I'd can't wait to hear her new covers... I'm so there.
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