Song of the Day #4,855: ‘When You’re Wrong’ – Brandi Carlile

Continuing my track-by-track presentation of Brandi Carlile’s In These Silent Days

Track seven was written by one of the Hanseroth twins, but you’d never guess from Carlile’s vocal performance that this song isn’t deeply personal to her. It’s a testament to her empathy as much as her vocal chops.

‘When You’re Wrong’ is also yet another stylistic departure on an album on which no two songs sound alike. This is the most delicate song yet, featuring just a finger-picked guitar and Carlile’s ethereal voice.

Continue reading

Song of the Day #4,854: ‘Mama Werewolf’ – Brandi Carlile

Continuing my track-by-track presentation of Brandi Carlile’s In These Silent Days

The back half of In These Silent Days starts with the provocatively titled ‘Mama Werewolf.’ This song is aimed at Carlile herself, and her shortcomings as a mother who too often exhibits the worst qualities of her own parents.

This album makes for quite the therapy session.

Continue reading

Song of the Day #4,851: ‘Letter To the Past’ – Brandi Carlile

Continuing my track-by-track presentation of Brandi Carlile’s In These Silent Days

Wrapping up the first half of In These Silent Days, ‘Letter To the Past’ is another track that gives me strong Elton John vibes, though this time it’s a ballad rather than a muscular rocker.

I’m impressed at how different each of the first five songs on this album are stylistically, even as Carlile’s worldview threads them together thematically.

Continue reading

Song of the Day #4,850: ‘Broken Horses’ – Brandi Carlile

Continuing my track-by-track presentation of Brandi Carlile’s In These Silent Days

The fourth track of In These Silent Days is an unexpected burst of righteous anger, and proof that Carlile can tear it up with the best of them. She channels her inner rock star in her live shows, but this is the first time I’ve heard it unleashed on a record.

The song shares a title with Carlile’s memoir, and she says it was inspired by the emotions stirred within her when writing the book.

Continue reading

Song of the Day #4,849: ‘This Time Tomorrow’ – Brandi Carlile

Continuing my track-by-track presentation of Brandi Carlile’s In These Silent Days

Third track ‘This Time Tomorrow’ is a simple acoustic number making lovely use of three-party harmony by Carlile and her two bandmates, twins Tim and Phil Hanseroth.

Carlile and the twins have seven children between them, and this song was written to help those children deal with their parents’ eventual deaths. As Carlile put it, “we were basically creating a family heirloom for the seven, for the kids that, pray to God, are going to outlive us by a margin.”

Continue reading