The Bottom Line
- "What Can I Say"
- "Throw It All Away"
- "Gone"
- "Tragedy"
- Her lyrics occasionally slip into the realm of cheesy pop songs
Description
- Gorgeous voice, great arrangements
- alt.country with definite old-school country and pop influences
- Infectious melodies that are beautifully sung
Guide Review - Brandi Carlile - (self-titled)
Her band is tight and hangs out appropriately in the background for the most part. When a song occasions for a guitar solo, one appears in a sort of non-offensive way, and builds to the inevitably hard-hitting repeat of the chorus.
Carlile’s songwriting skills are honed enough to make her radio-friendly, and her voice, as I already mentioned, is strong and dynamic enough to appeal to all kinds of music fans. She has some seriously infectious hooks and her lyrics are, for the most part, honest and insightful.
Her songs tend to be about what most young female singer/songwriters sing about: the four L’s - love, longing, loss, and lamentations. She has a great command of country guitar rhythms, and … did I mention her excellent voice?
Rolling Stone was on the mark when they named her an up-and-coming “artist to watch.” Bottom line: this is a great first record. Let’s hope that her second effort is just as lovely and inspired. Listen or Download
