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Genre: folk rock |
“Again Today,” “Josephine,” “Losing Heart,” and “The Story.”
With a voice that evokes comparisons to Melissa Etheridge and Stevie Nicks and songs that are richly lyrical, it’s little wonder that I fell in love with Brandi Carlile at first listen. She is truly a ‘voice of a generation,’ even if that generation could be better compared to the 1970s than the early 2000s. Regardless, I found myself moved not only by her mastery of her vocal talent, but by the underlying hint that she doesn’t take herself as seriously as most female singer/songwriters do.
This album, in itself, is a dream. Most of the songs have to do with lost love, but even those songs are versatile enough to apply to nearly anything in life. What’s also surprisingly versatile is Carlile’s voice. Etheridge and Nicks are better known for their screams and voice, respectively, but Carlile carries a harmony like no one’s business and manages to do it well. Had she imitated Catherine Feeny and kept her voice at a monotone, this album would have surely suffered for it. But she doesn’t seem capable of it, so songs that should be boring are rich with life. This is yet another amazing discovery in the ever-changing folk rock scene of today.
Tags: amy macdonald, brandi carlile, catherine feeny, hurricane glass, the story, this is the life
