Track Listing

1. Late Morning Lullaby
2. The Story
3. Turpentine
4. My Song
5. Wasted
6. Have You Ever
7. Josephine
8. Losing Heart
9. Cannonball
10. Until I Die
11. Downpour
12. Shadow On The Wall
13. Again Today
14. Turpentine (Video)
15. The Story (Video)
16. Downpour (Live Track)
17. Josephine (Live Track)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7653 in Music
• Released on: 2008-04-21
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Album Description
"It feels genetic to me, a personality trait almost," says emerging singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile on her love of music. "As soon as I was old enough to do anything - walk, talk, throw a ball, whatever it was - I was already singing." Now, after a decade of honing her skills on the live stage, she's one of 2008's ultimate ones-to-watch.

Born in Ravensdale, Washington, 1981, Brandi was raised on "elaborate family jam sessions" and Elton John/Patsy Cline records. A self-taught singer & guitarist, she made her stage debut at the age of 8. By 15 she'd discovered the Indigo girls, picked up her first guitar and began writing. Before long she was gigging around Seattle and cutting her teeth in front of a live audience.

During that time she met twin brothers Phil & Tim Hanseroth, who now form the core of her band alongside Matt Chamberlain (Morrissey). Together, they caught the attention of legendary producer Rick Rubin (Dixie Chicks, Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chilli Peppers), who went on to mentor them.

Combining blues and soul with a nod to Bonnie Raitt, her self-titled debut `Brandi Carlile' - recorded at home - scored her a place in Rolling Stone's `Top Ten Artists To Watch' list, while also earning her a deal with Columbia Records U.S. By the end of 2006, Brandi had toured the US as both a headline act and special guest to Ray LaMontagne, The Fray, Chris Isaak & Tori Amos.

A sonic soundscape of honest vocals, organic sounds and arresting delivery, the forthcoming LP is a back-to-basics album that majestically blends raw music with real talent. Highlights include the forthcoming single `Turpentine' - which featured in the smash-hit US show `Grey's Anatomy' - plus `Cannonball', which was recorded in Atlanta with The Indigo Girls.

Customer Reviews

The Story, so far - so good..
Let's get one thing straight, this CD was described as `blues' - it isn't blues! (Or if it is, it's Amazon's own weird definition of blues, which apparently also includes artists like Jack Johnson and Katie Melua!?!) In fact, although I can detect elements of country, folk, pop etc in Brandi's sound, blues is about the only influence I can't really hear. Similarly I don't buy the comparisons with Bonnie Raitt, to me the singer she most resembles is Lucinda Williams (check out "Until I die") but with a more versatile voice, a more contemporary sound and a greater pop sensibility.

The CD is produced by T-Bone Burnett - fresh from his work with Alison Krauss/Robert Plant - and he uses a similar palette of sounds here, moving between acoustic and electric settings and making this a much more varied and interesting sounding record than Brandi's debut CD. For me the stand out track is "Josephine", which has a beautiful melody, perfectly complemented by a `clean', straight-ahead production. A similar uncluttered production is also used to good effect on "On the wall" to highlight the wonderful harmonies. Other tracks like "Turpentine", "Cannonball" and "Downpour" also keep this acoustic vibe but have a busier, layered sound, with "Cannonball" sounding like the McGarrigles and "Downpour" including cello to give a lush, romantic atmosphere.

Elsewhere this rootsy, acoustic approach is dropped for a more contemporary, pop sound - opener "Late morning lullaby" sounds like K.T. Tunstall, while the big sound of "My song" is similar to the 60s stylings of Duffy. The final ballad "Again today" combines the two approaches, starting off with a subdued, plaintive keyboard accompaniment before the power guitar chords come in for the chorus.

Brandi has a great voice - on "The story" she sounds similar to K.D.Lang as it hovers on the brink of breaking up - and with T-Bone's help she has made a really good record here. With a couple of more distinctive songs this could have been a great record and I'll certainly watch her future career with interest. (Although I do wonder if she can continue to combine her country influences with the more contemporary sounds, or if she will have to decide on one of the two paths.)

Recommended.
I really like this and I've played it a lot.Her voice reminds me of Maria McKee, strong but tender, too. By and large they're all good songs in the alt country rock vein that you might expect when you see it's produced by T Bone Burnett. There are also strong similarities with Kathleen Edwards that go beyond the very obvious guitar figure in,whoops I've forgotten which track,but it's on the 2nd KE album. Carlile is less rocky than Edwards, although she can rock when she wants to, and there's a more singer/songwriter vibe.Personally, I think it's a cut above people like KT Tunstall, more authentic and less produced.She's got a good band, too, so all in all there's not much wrong with this album for me. Like I say, we've played it a lot and I expect to keep on playing it and I think that if you like any of the people I've mentioned you'll probably like Brandi Carlile.

Brandi Carlile 'The Story'
The album travels from rock to country and stops at a few places in-between. In live concert, this girl and her band are the real deal. I have just seen her live at Glasgow's ABC venue, and it was easily amongst the top 10 gigs of my life - and I've been going to concerts since 1974. Watch her go to the very top. Genuine, funny, engaging with the audience, great band behind her....if you like Sheryl Crow, KT Tunstall, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Crowded House....intelligent music with real heart and soul. Check her out in a smaller venue while you can.... before the rest of the planet catches on.