Have You Ever?
Jun 25th, 08If you know me very well, you know how important music is in my life. It’s playing at all times in my house, and I embrace all kinds of genres. I don’t talk about it much on this blog, but I should. Music and creativity, in my opinion, are inextricably tied.
I’m one of those people who will listen to a song over and over when I first fall in love with it. I even have a playlist called Stuck. ;) It’s for music I discover that I just can’t get enough of. Anyone else do that? Some of the songs on the list have been played upwards of 200 times - and that’s just on iTunes, on one machine. Who knows how many more times they’ve been played on my iPod or streamed through the laptop!
With that said, I wanted to talk about a new listening addiction. Her name is Brandi Carlile and has she got a set of pipes! I had never heard of her until two weeks ago when John and I saw Sheryl Crow at Red Rocks for our 4th anniversary (yay!) and Brandi was the opening act. All I can say is WOW. She can go from lilting ballad to jam session and back again without batting an eye. She did a killer rendition of Folsom Prison Blues, and a mesmerizing version of Hallelujah.
Although classified as Country (you can hear some Patsy Cline and even Roy Orbison influences), Brandi doesn’t seem to fit the ‘country’ mold. Her voice has great range… she can serve it up smooth like Celine or belt it out like Joplin. You’ll get goosebumps either way.
I bought her latest CD at the concert and now I’m completely hooked, specifically on her song Have You Ever. Give it a listen. It’s an introspective, happy, toe-tapping sort of song. :)
The Story and Turpentine also made my 5 and 4 Star (iTunes) ratings, respectively. ;) Oh and I have to give homage to Sheryl Crow. I’ve been a fan for over a decade and she rocks too, naturally.
More footage from this concert at the coolest ampitheatre ever…
Thanks for sharing about Brandi Carlile, I haven’t heard about her until now. She does have a very nice and pleasant voice, and I do like her style a lot. I’ll be checking out her other songs.
My all time favourite female singer is K.D. Lang. Not because she’s Canadian, but because she’s got the most powerful and affecting voice I’ve ever heard. Have you heard K.D. Lang’s rendition of Hallelujah? The first time I heard her singing Constant Craving, about seven years ago, and got hooked ever since. She also sang “Crazy” with Roy Orbisson — absolutely amazing.
Jun 26, 08 | 12:47 amoops, not “Crazy”, but “Crying”
Wish you had AJAX Edit Comments plugin here ;-)
And also, forgot to congratulate you with the 4th anniversary, wishing you to celebrate many more happy anniversaries together.
Jun 26, 08 | 1:02 amThanks Vivien! I loved Constant Craving when I first heard it too! The layered harmonies are just awesome. But I think my favorite song of hers is Bird on a Wire. Her non-live version has a very hymnal feel to it, but it’s so good! What a voice.
Jun 26, 08 | 9:45 amOops again. Your link for Hallelujah goes to Constant Craving, but here’s a moving live version (with the London Symphony Orchestra)! :)
Jun 26, 08 | 10:02 amCharity, you are my soul sister ;) I’m so glad you too like K.D. Lang.
Sorry for the wrong link to Hallelujah, thanks for providing the right one which somehow didn’t get copied when I tried.
Jun 26, 08 | 1:08 pmLike you, I must have music in my life - mainly blues and the must have early Dylan. Thanks for introducing Brandi Carlile - a must for my collection.
Jun 29, 08 | 9:17 amP.S. Inspiration - k. d. Lang is one of my personal favorites as well. - Knew you meant ‘Crying’.
Music is a must for me wherever, whenever. If I’m at work I’ll be plugged into my ipod, if at home I’ll have the stereo on. I’ll listen to the Beatles, Stones, Jethro Tull, psychedelic and prog rock. I find it particularly inspirational when writing. Thanks for the Brandi Carlile heads-up, I’ll be sure to check her out.
Jul 17, 08 | 2:10 amMusic is my life too.. Wherever i go, i’m always listen to music in my cellphone or ipod. I love to listen to music especially love songs..
Thansk for sharing Brandi Carlile, it’s my first time to hear that name in music industry..
Aug 14, 08 | 1:16 amHear here! I’ve actually become addicted to the new releases at the iTunes Music Store…some of my favorite new artists were releases on iTunes Single of the Week. I can’t stop listening to Carrie Rodriguez or Go Blind Pilot. Both of which i’d never heard of before.
Thanks for your article…love Brandi Carlile as well and there is no reason to even discuss Sheryl Crow…she is a legend in my book. A highlight of my musical hobby is a small private concert by Sheryl Crow for VIPs that I finagled my way into… ;-)
Aug 26, 08 | 7:00 pm