CARRIE NEWCOMER

The Geography of Light

2008-01-13

Carrie’s 11th record for Rounder continues her attempt to do be a musical “polite firebrand,” which seems to mean you can make an important point without tearing someone’s head off. Her songs are always about making larger sense of the ordinary things in life. She says,” It’s about navigating that shadow and light in our lives, and all those gray spaces in between. There aren’t any easy answers – but there’s a lot of good questions.” She’s often influenced heavily by the recent books she’s been reading, and that’s true of this set as well. This time around, it is Quaker philosopher/writer Parker Palmer and novelist Scott Russell Sanders. While the songs attempt something more than surface issues, they don’t “feel heavy” and there are great wordplays (“Geodes”), vividly drawn characters (“Where You Been”) and humor (“Don’t Push Send”). It is good to know Carrie’s out there, paying close attention to life and reporting in once and a while. 01/08 MJVD F-Contemporary

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Folk

  • reviewed 03/2007

    THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS
    Fork In The Road

  • reviewed 05/2009

    WAYNE “THE TRAIN” HANCOCK
    Viper of Melody

  • reviewed 08/2017

    Merlin Snider
    One Light Many Windows

  • reviewed 10/2012

    MILLION SELLERS
    Music City USA and Other Ghost Stories

  • reviewed 08/2006

    Hem
    Funnel Cloud

  • reviewed 05/2011

    SALLIE FORD & THE SOUND OUTSIDE
    Dirty Radio

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.