The Story

This album, The Story, by Brandi Carlile is much better than one might think after a few listenings. It is actually quite remarkable. The title song is the obvious zinger, but the album is full of very good songs, some as good as "The Story," others just a touch under. What brings "The Story" to the fore is the incredible vocal range Brandi utilizes inside of 3:30 minutes. It is an extraordinary song, sang by an extraordinary singer. Although she didn't write "The Story," she wrote most of the other tunes on the album, and they are finely crafted songs. I will be following her career, at least until she disappoints, and I recommend this album to anyone who enjoys a woman who can truly sing. The only drawback to The Story is it has more songs unlike "The Story," than like it. I really enjoy a woman who can belt out lyrics and then softly return to earth. Brandi Carlile does that very well, just not as often as I'd like. Nonetheless, this is easily a five star album.

When I received The Story from a friend, she told me that she is "kind of like Lucinda Williams." I wouldn't go that far, but she does have talent. Lucinda Williams has thirty years experience making top level albums, and Brandi Carlile has only just begun. But the likeness is there. Where I draw the line between Lucinda and Brandi is in the lyrical content. Lucinda Williams knows no peer in the women's songwriting world. Brandi may get there, but until she does, I'll be revved up for her next release.

I received this CD in the mail on time. It is super. I sent my daugther the Brandy CD and she loves it, too.

This is a soulful artist with an amazing voice for someone so young. You won't find a single bad song; and soon you'll find yourself singing along the whole way through.

Brandi Carlile has an awesome sound. Some songs start out sounding soft and heartwarming but then tear into something guttural and more open than any artist I can think of. Folk rock is definitely what comes to my mind. I can't stand albums that repeat the same style over and over again. Brandi's style is varied, refreshing, and something I listen over and over again at work without being worn out.

Wow! What a voice! I was driving along in the car when I first heard "The Story" on the local radio station. Wow. Like with so many other great voices or great songs I have heard for the first time- "Yellow", "Creep", "Linger", "Constant Craving", "Somersault", "What I Am", "White Flag", and "Finally Woken" to name a few- I cranked up the radio, turned the car around, and headed for the nearest record store, and bought every copy of "The Story" for my friends. From the gut-wrenching knowing passion of "Story", I was really expecting to see some worn-out, chain-smoking, Joplinesque, "gin-soaked bar-room queen" on the album cover. What a surprise to see a very attractive young woman, with such a powerful and expressive voice, with tremendous untapped potential just waiting in reserve.

Brandi Carlile has a quality in her melodic voice, sweetly nimble fingers, and catchy songwriting that conveys the sense of real life experiences, with a purity and honesty not heard often enough. I have read descriptions of her voice in the last measures of "The Story" as crackling or edgy, but to me her voice is freely expressive, like a great guitar solo, or a Kurt Cobain message, pushed to the limits. No apologies. What matters so much more than a perfect performance is what we feel inside when we hear the notes. She has something to say, and you will know without a doubt her message comes straight from her gut. She can belt it out, and she can melt your heart in the same song.

Every song on this record is truly wonderful in their own way, and the first three tracks are priceless, thanks to this powerhouse team of songwriters. I played this record over and over, until the break of dawn. "Turpentine" gave me the same shivers I felt when I first heard "Teen Spirit"- a raw anthem to each of our realities. "Shadow on the Wall" is another beautiful hidden gem, where she accepts the situation, and does not try to change the world or anyone in it. She simply creates her own solution to the problem. This song is anything but "sad", as I have heard it described. In fact, I find it refreshing. I believe this talented and gifted artist has a long and successful career ahead of her, and I am looking forward to hearing more great music from her and the band.