SCENE SCRIBE
By Michael Swanger scenescribe@mchsi.com
Carlile gives up the ghosts on new record, career
The title of distinctively throaty Seattle singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile’s third album, “Give Up the Ghost,” makes for interesting fodder when mulling over its possible meanings.
For starters, it has been suggested that the phrase “give up the ghost” most often refers to death or dying. That might explain songs like “Dying Day,” “Touching the Ground” or “That Year,” a tune in which Carlile, a high-school dropout, recalls a teenage friend who committed suicide.
The phrase can also be used to describe the passing of stages in life, of transformation, henceforth songs like “Dreams” and “If There Was No You.” That kind of logic could also be applied to Carlile’s meteoric rise on the charts and television shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” that began a few years ago with the hit singles “What Can I Say,” “The Story” and “Turpentine.”
Then there is the hauntingly familiarity of Carlile’s sound, which no less includes honest and intimate lyrics, warm and sparse instrumentation and a worn-in timbre and falsetto singing voice that is the envy of singers who wish to evoke emotion in a matter of syllables.
And finally, there is the issue of stepping into the spotlight. Of no longer being an unknown. Which is where Des Moines comes into play.
Last year, Carlile made her Capital City debut performing a sold-out concert at Hoyt Sherman Theater, a fete more established artists have failed to do. It was one of several sold-out performances during her “Give Up the Ghost Traveling Show” that also included packed houses at The Beacon in New York and The Wiltern in Los Angeles. But Des Moines made such a lasting impression on Carlile that she insisted on quickly returning for a second show slated for Wednesday, Jan. 20 at Hoyt.
“We were totally overwhelmed. Hoyt was one of the bigger venues on the tour and I was afraid it would be a disaster, that we’d sell the first few rows and call it good,” Carlile said. “When it sold out we were so excited. One minute the crowd was dancing to a Johnny Cash song, the next you could hear a pin drop. I just loved the show and the town. I’ve got a good feeling about coming back.”
Since her first performance in Des Moines and the release of “Give Up the Ghost,” it is understandable why Carlile might be feeling good these days. The 28-year-old musician is earning rave reviews from major and independent music magazines. Paste Magazine recently dubbed Carlile as the “best voice in indie rock,” a compliment she does not take lightly.
“I consider Paste to have a pivotal influence on indie music because they always have their finger on the pulse of finding the best of the best and introducing non-mainstream artists into the mainstream,” Carlile said. “When I heard their reaction, I knew the record was good.”
With that said, Carlile admits that she still can’t get over the fact that she was able to recruit guest artists like Elton John, Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith to perform on “Give Up the Ghost,” let alone have Rick Rubin produce it.
“Elton is my greatest hero in life and the fact that he agreed to work on our record still shocks me every day,” she said.
Validation for serious musicians, however, comes in the form of audience appreciation and an ability to pay the bills doing something you love. And in that regard, Carlile is no different from any other musician.
“In my position I don’t think you feel success in the way other people see it,” she said. “I just feel grateful for my job and my trajectory and its tilt upwards the last five years. To be able to see places I’ve never seen before based on my true voice and the words I write with honesty is truly the greatest gift anyone could ask for.” CV
Caption: Brandi Carlile performs on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. at Hoyt Sherman Theater. Tickets are $34.40 and $30.85 through Ticketmaster.
