Tag: Brandi Carlile

Album Review: Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself

Since releasing her ‘Who Believes in Angels?’ collaboration with Elton John earlier this year, Brandi Carlile’s star has never been brighter. Lesser mortals would have some time off after such a publicity blitz (and her UK/EU tour in July) but when has Brandi Carlile ever known how to slow down and smell the roses? ‘Returning to Myself’ is her way of stepping out of the shadows of her famous friends and looking at herself in the mirror. 

Continue reading “Album Review: Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself” →
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Album Review: Brandi Carlile & Elton John – Who Believes in Angels?

After bringing Tanya Tucker and Joni Mitchell back from the dead, Brandi Carlile has done it again. This time she has revived Elton John, who after a triumphant Glastonbury had declared himself exhausted and retired (from touring anyway). Here with Brandi’s help, he sings using every ounce of what voice he has left and sounds like a man reborn. 

But this isn’t an Elton John album produced by Brandi Carlile. Elton has done something important for Brandi in return – he has humbly let her take the lead across much of the album, sharing the spotlight and the billing. The results are powerful and moving. 

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Album Review: Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days

When Brandi Carlile won her Grammy for Best Americana album her speech was not just a moment of personal celebration, it was also a statement about the genre itself:

Americana music is the island of the misfit toys. I am such a misfit. It is this music that has shaped my life and made me who I am. I came out of the closet at 15 years old…and I can assure that you I was never invited to any parties and never got to attend a dance. To be embraced by this enduring & loving community has been the dance of a lifetime. Thank you for being my island.

To find a place where your difference makes you not an outcast but part of a kind and harmonious patchwork of people is not just what a musical genre can be, it’s an ideal that America, and the world itself, should strive for. A lifted lamp by the golden door. A welcome for all. Continue reading “Album Review: Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days” →

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Women Win Big At the Americana Music Awards

Last year at the Americana Music Awards many women were nominated but only Molly Tuttle took home an award for instrumentalist of the year. Before this year’s ceremony Margo Price, who had been one of those 2018 nominees, tweeted that she hoped things would be different in 2019 and the headlines would finally read that women had won big. Thankfully I can report with some delight that her wish has indeed come true and women won an equal share of last night’s awards including the big prize of Artist of the Year. Continue reading “Women Win Big At the Americana Music Awards” →

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Album Review: The Highwomen

Flash forward to next year and imagine that the Highwomen have just won the CMA for album of the year to add to their Grammy, they have been played every hour on the hour on country radio and topped the charts with their first five singles, headlined a huge arena tour and been invited to join the Opry. Yes, Mama went and damn well changed the Nashville sound.

Doesn’t that sound like the most wonderful dream? Yet even me, the biggest Stan in all of Stanville, knows that this is unlikely, nay impossible. But why can’t it be reality, you may ask? After all Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby are four of the most talented women in all genres of music. Together they have produced an album full of quality songwriting, gorgeous country music and enough personality to dazzle even the most dark-hearted of cynics. Continue reading “Album Review: The Highwomen” →

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The Highwomen Are Finally Here! Thoughts On ‘Redesigning Women’

Last Friday we finally heard the first new music from the country music dream team The Highwomen. This project has been much talked about, with endless teases in interviews and hype on social media to the point where I began to worry the weight of expectations was going to crush the whole thing before it even began. I’m pleased to report that so far, so damn good. Continue reading “The Highwomen Are Finally Here! Thoughts On ‘Redesigning Women’” →

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Album Review: Brandi Carlile – By The Way, I Forgive You

When I reviewed the project Cover Stories last year I was completely unfamiliar with Brandi Carlile’s music, so it was kind of strange that my first experience of her songs was hearing other people sing them. When her new album was announced I was immediately intrigued, especially as she was working with Dave Cobb, who has produced some of my favourite albums of the last few years and the legendary Shooter Jennings. While I admired the initial single The Joke I wasn’t immediately sold on her more orchestral based sound, so I held off listening to this album for a while. Well that was a stupid idea since By The Way I Forgive You is one of the best releases of the year so far. Continue reading “Album Review: Brandi Carlile – By The Way, I Forgive You” →

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Album Review: Cover Stories

Five minutes spent watching any TV ‘talent’ show should be enough to convince you that singing other people’s songs well is a unique art. To truly cover a song you need to own it completely for yourself. You need to sing this is my song and actually mean it. So Brandi Carlile was brave to ask fourteen artists to cover songs from her album The Story. Thankfully the rich and diverse interpretations of her work on this charity album Cover Stories are more than worthy of comparison with the originals. Continue reading “Album Review: Cover Stories” →

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