Brandi Carlile - (self-titled)

• "What Can I Say"
• "Throw It All Away"
• "Gone"
• "Tragedy"

• Her lyrics occasionally slip into the realm of cheesy pop songs

• Gorgeous voice, great arrangements
• alt.country with definite old-school country and pop influences
• Infectious melodies that are beautifully sung

Brandi Carlile is tough to pin down, aesthetically. She starts off her self-titled debut Brandi Carlile (Columbia, 2005) with a voice that sounds a little like Bette Midler. But over the course of the next ten songs, her vocals bring to mind singer/songwriters from Sheryl Crow to pop crooners like Kelly Clarkson to under-appreciated grrl rock band the Goops.

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

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