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Gottabuzzblog
January 28th, 2008
by Rick Stilwell - Gottabuzzblog
Geography of Light, Carrie Newcomer
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Author Rick Stilwell Gottabuzzblog
url address http://gottabuzz.typepad.com/coffee/2008/01/review-geogrpah.html
One of the things that struck me in researching this album is that all the early 'net buzz appears to be about the poignancy of the lyrics. And I could not agree more. As I was googling to find an online transcript of the lyrics to "Don't Hit Send", I found posts and articles about how Carrie Newcomer's latest project has lots to say, and says it well.
"I am the fool whose life's been spent
between what is said and what is meant."
- "There Is A Tree"
Listening to Geography of Light is like having a conversation at a coffeehouse, or in the kitchen, with a few good friends who happen to be musically inclined and brought their instruments along. For me these days, anything that feels more like a conversation is going to be more meaningful, more inspiring, more thought-provoking than the norm. She's been having some of those deep chats with Brian McLaren, Jim Wallis and others, and it comes out in ways that, I think, engage the listener for something deeper.
"Deeper than the norm", "more whatever than the norm" - this isn't a normal album, I guess. Musically, it's got a folksy bluesy fun feel to it, catchy hooks in the choruses, casual twists of phrase that catch your ear when you're drawn in deeper. If there were more fiddles it would be Allison Kraus or Nickel Creek, two of me favorites. Where it seems to be "different" is the combination of all that with something, like I said, that makes you think, that engages your heart and mind. The depth of the music feeds off the depth of the music and back again - a good fit all around.
"Though you can't always tell one from another,
and it's best not to judge a book by it's tattered cover
I don't open them to see, folks 'raound here just like me
we have come to believe there's hidden good in common things
You can't always tell but sometimes you just know
You can't always tell but sometimes you just know."
- "Geodes"
This is from the publicists: "Newcomer will donate 10% of the profits from her tour sales of the new release to the American Friends Service Committee. You can get a taste of the music and more information about Carrie at her website, http://carrienewcomer.com/." Again, I think this is a part of who she is, looking for something to share, including her own resources, with those looking to have a meaningful impact today. The music is spending more time in my iPod than usual - mostly, I'm still just enjoying the conversation.
And why couldn't she have written "Don't Hit Send" a bit sooner in my timeline?
Posted at 06:20 AM in Music |