Brandi Carlile - Live At Benaroya Hall With The Seattle Symphony (2011)

[Cosmic Harmony]

1. Curtain Call
2. Sixty Years On
3. Looking Out
4. Before It Breaks
5. I Will
6. Shadow on the Wall
7. Dreams
8. Turpentine
9. The Sound of Silence
10. The Story
11. Pride and Joy
12. Hallelujah
13. Forever Young (Hidden Track)


Brandi Carlile's "Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony" was recorded in late November of 2010 at the Benaroya Hall in Seattle Washington and released on May 3 of 2011. Brandi has put out quite a few EPs and roughly recorded live albums before but this is her first official and properly done one.

The album features three songs from her breakthrough, sophomore album "The Story", five from her third album "Give Up The Ghost", which she was touring in support of at the time, and four cover songs. One of said cover songs is Elton John's "Sixty Years On" which not only opens this album but it is also the first song on Elton's "Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra" album, which I think is the main inspiration for Brandi doing this album. She even states just being starting "Before It Breaks" "I think of Elton every time I sit down at a piano to this day. That's what heroes are all about.".

Normally I am 50/50 on live albums done with orchestras because often times the song selections are poor and sound forced when they don't gel with the symphony right. This is not the case with this album though. Brandi's folk rock style blends beautifully with the Seattle symphony as it weaves in and out of her songs. She sings as great live as she does in the studio and her passion is so evident. She is especially emotional sounding during "Before It Breaks" and "I Will". Those however are not the highlights of the album to me. They are the following:

Dreams

I love how excited the audience was during this song. Brandi even has said that she felt like one of the Beatles with how rowdy the crowd got during that song and they sang every word. I especially like how the string section sounds during the guitar break in the last third of the song.

Turpentine

One of the most important things in a live album for me is how into the show the crowd is and that is evident on this song more than any other on this album. Brandi instructs the crowd how to sing along in three part harmony and it is moving and angelic sounding.

Pride & Joy

This is the best song on the entire album if you ask me. It's very sincere and personal and the orchestra takes over in the back end of the song in a really beautiful way.


Overall this album is great for fans of Brandi's music as well as first time listeners. In an era where live albums are growing less and less important for artists Brandi really shines with hers. Not one song on this album is a bad listen. They are all grand and touching in a really authentic way. She amount of joy in her voice when she sings or expresses appreciation to the audience is contagious and so touchingly sincere. I really have nothing bad to say about this album at all and would recommend it to anyone.

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[Magic]

IMHO Brandi is basically a country singer, but very unique. She sure has that "crooning" voice that so many of the newer country singers lack

I do have her 2nd album "The Story", and for some reason she has since fallen off my music radar.

I know I do hear her songs pop up on some of the television shows I watch, like Grey's Anatomy.


I sure enjoyed the videos, Cosmic. She definitely knows how to get her audience involved.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

I can't really argue with that, Magic. Though to my ear Brandi has a bit more of a loud, projecting kind of voice that I think comes from rock influence. Regardless I think she certainly has a better grasp on country singing than all of that modern country stars that I know of. She understands the style of it all instead of just singing in a southern accent to make her music sound country.

Yeah, Brandi's music gets using in dramas on TV all the time, especially on Grey's Anatomy. That one show has used 3 or 4 of her songs last I checked. I would definitely urge you to pick up either her third album "Give Up The Ghost" or this one though. "The Story" is a great in it's own right but I think she is really growing and expanding in the best way as her career goes on. :

Thanks for reading, Magic.