Brandi Carlile

Ever since I got into blogging I've been given chances to do things I wouldn't have done otherwise. Like go to super fun events with my kids and other moms. So when something came up that wasn't kid-related, I thought it might an interesting detour. Especially since it was a free music download and I love music. I had a whole month to listen to and review Brandi Carlile's new album, Give Up the Ghost. Only problem was, when would I find the time when I had a quiet moment to listen to an entire album? I listened it to it once when I first got the download, but haven't been able to write the review. And so here I am on October 31 listening to the album again, hiding from my kids before we go trick or treating.




Unfortunately I haven't been listening to much "real" music since H was born. I have over 300 music cds from before his birth that are now in storage because he would take them out of the cases and break them. And when we listen to music, he insists it is HIS turn, which means Laurie Berkner or Elmo or TMBG. I want him to love music, so usually I give in. So listening to the CD was a treat for me to actually listen to lyrics that were clever and meaningful instead of just repeating "grumpy old troll" 500 times.

My favorite song on the CD is "I Will." If you've ever had a bad breakup, this song cuts to exactly what you've felt. My favorite lyrics from the song, "you've drawn heavy-handed lines around morality about yourself and I don't share your point of view...it hurts to be the one you regret...I'll never be the same because we've met..." I like it in that it's different from other breakup songs, she's actually saying that she did learn from that person and she won't forget him/her but she will survive the loss. At least that's what the song said to me.

I also liked the tracks "If There Was No You" and "Oh Dear." I liked the lyrics a lot to all of the tracks because you have to listen to them carefully and actually think about them, so they're definitely songs that get better every time you listen. If you've ever listened to the group The Story, Brandi Carlile will remind you a lot of that style--very very clever lyrics and great vocals. In fact that's what I immediately thought of when I came across another of Brandi Carlile's albums, The Story. Another band I thought of when I listened to this album was Indigo Girls.


And that's my review. It's definitely been a great experience because it reminded me that I am a person too and I don't have to have children's music on repeat wherever I go. Sometimes it's MY turn.