Entrevista - "Singer Brandi Carlile reveals her inspirations"

Singer Brandi Carlile reveals her inspirations


It makes sense that Brandi Carlile grew up loving music.

She was raised by parents and grandparents who played country and bluegrass, and grew up listening to the rich and heartbreaking vocals of Patsy Cline, rough and downtrodden lyrics of Johnny Cash, and innovative songwriting of Elton John.

Carlile learned early that music was a way to communicate with the world.

"My family would get together during the week and sing and play music, so I've been immersed in that scene as long as I can remember," said Carlile, who performs Saturday at Hoyt Sherman Place.

When she was 8 years old, her mother took her to the Northwest Grand Ole Opry for kids night. "On Sunday evenings, kids under 21 could come and sing for fun," she said. "I was one of the youngest kids there, and that's when I really developed a love for singing."

Carlile first picked up piano when she was "very little," but claims she never became good at it. Instead, she developed a passion for guitar.

"When I was 16, I first heard the Indigo Girls, and I knew that I wanted to be a chick with a guitar," she said.
She also knew she wanted to play that guitar at famous venues - Reiman Auditorium in Nashville, the Red Rocks Amphitheater just outside Denver - and has since fulfilled those dreams.

Her latest album, "Give Up the Ghost," her third with Columbia Records, is scheduled to be released late this summer or early fall. Some dedicated fans may already recognize some of the songs from the yet-to-be-released effort.

"We are very much a real live band," Carlile said. "We try out new songs at shows to see how they sound and if people like them. We always bring new material to the audience."
Carlile describes this album as a "little more reckless" than her previous album, "The Story."

"Our performances have gotten wilder and more extreme," she said. "If we play in a larger venue, they're extremely emotive, but if we're in a smaller venue, the intimacy almost makes it uncomfortable."

Heartache and dreams inspired the bulk of this new album. "I know it sounds cliché, but dreams are the least guarded state of consciousness. They are my biggest inspirations."


What, exactly, is 'Indie rock?'


The term “Indie” isn’t as easily defined as punk, pop or blues. While every music snob on the planet may have their own description, technically, “Indie rock” is short for independent rock, and refers to a category of alternative music that is produced by small independent labels.

Some artists start out on these small labels and later sign with a major label, which is where the term gets a little hairy.

In general, indie rock musicians are known for having a very strong do-it-yourself ethic, and make a point not to change their sound to fit popular trends. Their sound can range from low-fi and unpolished to acoustic and bouncy to experimental and folky. And their fans tend to be just as resistant to mainstream culture.

The indie scene tends to have a strong following in larger cities, and Des Moines is no exception.


http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090409/ENT04/904090334/1111/ENT04