There is one track on Brandi Carlile Live at Benaroya Hall with The Seattle Symphony Orchestra that surpasses almost everything I have heard over the last few years. Looking Out is the first track on her album Give Up The Ghost and is good enough. But on her live recording, from the distinctive first strums on her guitar to the final blast from the orchestra, it adds up to something powerful and operatic. Wonderful lyrics and every note and every chord are just perfect. And the rest of the album is mainly good too, but nothing like this one glorious song.
On the one hand, Kathleen Edwards' latest album Voyageur is a typical collection of good accessible songs. But what makes this album different (and surprisingly enough in a good way) is that the production is by her partner Justin Vernon. Now I just cannot get his music with Bon Iver, but here his mainstream instrumental backings are just fantastic. Take track six for instance. My favourite just for the instrumental intro. An old time chord crashing electric guitar with an organ (a Hammond?) playing one note and then breaking through with the melody. Where did that come from? KE is such a good songwriter, there is hardly a dud on this album. I cant wait to hear it again.
You could say that Nell Bryden's follow up to her debut album What Does It Take is just easy listening (she does get plays on Radio 2). But that would ignore what are a terrific cross section of ballads, soul and country influenced songs. Shake The Tree is very well produced and Nell's voice is clear and pitch perfect, quite similar to Annie Lennox. Just listen to the title track.
After her disappointing last album Barefoot and Eager, Jenna is back on the form of her debut recording Brother. This time Jenna Witts has written all ten songs and they are reasonably impressive. For the first time Jenna has departed from an acoustic backing and surprisingly on the second track introduces a bigger electrified band. My favourite song is Not Here, Not There, Not Anywhere where she goes a little up country and where she is most comfortable. More please.
When I reviewed a previous album by Emily Barker and The Red Clay Halo, I said that I would have to listen to it a few more times before passing judgement. The same can be said for her latest Dear River. There are some tracks that will send you to sleep while others give you lift off . This is folk music stripped down to all acoustic basics. You have to be in the mood.
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