The Story

The Story, Brandi Carlile’s second release, clearly announces the arrival of big talent. Her songwriting is accomplished, ambitious, and unabashedly emotional, and she puts them across with her huge voice — clear, strong, and passionate — over which she has amazing control; she could accurately be compared to Pasty Cline, k.d. lang, and Neko Case. Tastefully produced by T-Bone Burnett, the overall sound is spacious and warm, with subtle ambient touches added for extra texture. Even the relatively stripped-down tunes like “Josephine” and “Downpour” come across as lushly layered. She also rocks several powerchord anthems, particularly the fist-pumping title track in which she kicks into vocal overdrive on the chorus during one of the album’s more memorable and intense moments. Her melodies are pure and she naturally blends elements of country, gospel, and rock into her sound. There’s also a wealth of excellent harmony singing here by brothers Phil and Tim Hanseroth, who play bass and guitar respectively, as well as by special guests the Indigo Girls, who provide gorgeous backing vocals on “Cannonball.” Carefully constructed and arranged, The Story aims for epic and mostly succeeds, and Carlile should earn many loyal listeners on the strength of this sophomore release.