Bear Creek [2LP/1CD]

by Brandi Carlile

Overview

Named in honor of the converted turn-of-the-century Washington barn where it was recorded, Brandi Carlile's fourth studio outing, the rough and tumble, sweet and soulful Bear Creek, is as fiery as it is bucolic. Carlile's wonderfully expressive voice is as tailor-made for country as it is for roots rock, and the 13 cuts on Bear Creek lean heavily on the former, striking a nice balance between the nuanced twang of Alison Krauss and the bluesy cockiness of Bonnie Raitt, especially on the spirited, boot-stomping opener "Hard Way Home," the sweet and steady "Keep Your Heart Young," and the gospel-kissed howler "Raise Hell." The notion of diminishing youth (Carlile turned 30 during the making of the album) plays a pivotal role on Bear Creek, and contributes to some of its finest moments. Both "A Promise to Keep," with its soft cadence, deft fingerpicking, and stoic refrain of "The hill I'm walking up is getting good and steep," and the lush and languid closer "Just Kids" manage to bask in the sepia glow of nostalgia without disappearing into the past, which is an attribute that Carlile, with her old-school melodic sense and genuine flair for Roy Orbison/Patsy Cline melodrama, displayed with 2007's blistering future American Idol standard "The Story." Four albums in, Carlile has honed her distinctly retro brand of Northwest Americana down to science, and Bear Creek feels both easy and immediate, which is usually what happens when talented artists finally figure out who they are, and that heartache, failure, defiance, and confidence can all go to the dance together. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	06/19/2012
Label:	Columbia / Sony Music Entertainment
UPC:	0886919612219
Rank:	26675

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Hard Way Home
2. Raise Hell
3. Save Part of Yourself
4. That Wasn't Me
5. Keep Your Heart Young
6. 100
7. A Promise to Keep

Disc 2

8. I'll Still Be There
9. What Did I Ever Come Here For
10. Heart's Content
11. Rise Again
12. In the Morrow
13. Just Kids

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Brandi Carlile   Primary Artist,Banjo,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Handclapping,Piano (Electric),Guitar (Electric)
Matt Chamberlain   Drums,Percussion,Handclapping
Phil Hanseroth   Bass,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Tambourine,Handclapping
Josh Neumann   Cello,Piano,Tambourine
Allison Miller   Drums,Percussion,Handclapping
Jay Joyce   Mandolin
Tim Hanseroth   Banjo,Guitar,Vocals,Ukulele,Percussion,Handclapping,Guitar (Electric)
David Palmer   Piano,Keyboards
Jeb Bows   Violin,Mandolin

Technical Credits

Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Trina Shoemaker   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Greg Latterman   Management
Jason Hall   Engineer
Jon Ervie   Engineer
Brandi Carlile   Composer
Phil Hanseroth   Composer
Twins   Producer
Frank Liddell   Producer
Jay Joyce   Engineer,Producer
Tim Hanseroth   Composer,Engineer
Matt Wheeler   Assistant
Michelle Holme   Art Direction
Mark Cunningham   Management
Brandi   Producer
Mark Williams   A&R
Jerry Streeter   Assistant Engineer
Chip Hooper   Booking
Duffy McSwiggin   Booking
Frank Ockenfeld   Photography