Brandi Carlile
The Story

I know “The Story” because I love “Grey’s Anatomy.” I know “The Story” is by Brandi Carlile because I read it in the end credits of an episode.

“The Story,” by the way, is a beautiful rock track where Carlile's beautiful voice first weaves sweet melodies—light guitar chords—and then bursts into an angry crescendo—choirs and agitated rhythm. “The Story” is also an album, the second of the singer from Ravensdale after a series of EPs and live recordings. Released in 2007, it gathers thirteen musical moments that range from road pop-rock soiled by a voice that is at times sweetly husky to delicate acoustic carvings. All this is surrounded by a decidedly folk aura that gives Carlile's music a rustic aftertaste that not even the “Più gusto” by San Carlo possess.

Accompanying her, a skilled guitarist, we find the Hansenroth brothers (Phil and Tim) on rhythm, and, here and there depending on the wind, Josh Neumann's cello. In addition to the admirable title track, noteworthy songs include the sweet lull of “Josephine,” accompanied by just the guitar, the beautiful crescendo of the opening “Late Morning Lullaby,” and the lovely “Turpentine,” also used by the cunning Shonda Rhimes as a soundtrack to the events at “Seattle Grace Hospital.”

Speaking of the other tracks, I think it's appropriate to say only that some of them particularly play on the (remarkable) expressiveness of the singer-songwriter's beautiful voice and often on the effectiveness of Christmas Eve choirs—I think of the musicality of “Downpour,” the introspection of “Cannonball”; I recall the intensity of “Have You Ever” and the calm of the closing “Again Today” (unfortunately aggravated by the usual habit of the ghost track—here not bad, by the way—that, thanks to the moments of silence, creates Emerson, Lake & Palmer-length tracks even in the albums of Cesare Cremonini). Conversely, other songs prove to be pleasant musical rides on the steeds of rhythm: examples are “Wasted,” the driven “Until I Die,” and “My Song”—the latter indeed a beautiful track.

The album is completed by the evocative “Shadow On The Wall” and the rough “Losing Heart,” tracks that, although not adding much to what's been said, enrich the value of a refined and visceral work. In short, a great discovery: “The Story” turns out to be a fresh, well-executed, solid album without any dull moments. It may not have this astonishing originality, but then again, almost no one does these days.

And the lovely Brandi is still young, after all.