Search - Carrie Newcomer :: My True Name

"My True Name" is among the finest folk albums of today

10/03/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Carrie Newcomer continues to outdo herself: just when you think you've heard the best of her music, she comes out with a new album that breaks new ground in both songwriting and musical performance. Newcomer's "My True Name", showcasing her strong vocals and her excellent band, has the most "polished" sound of any of her albums, but "polished" is by no means lacking depth or originality. Newcomer's music is hard to fit into one genre description. On this album,she sings both intimate, well-crafted contemporary-folk ballads as well as energized, foot-stomping country. But within each individual song are rhythms and traces of other musical genres, including blues ("Take it Around Again") and gospel ("When One Door Closes"). "I Should Have Known Better," is as good of a "been done wrong" song as can be heard on today's country stations. In "What Kind of Love of This," also clearly country, Newcomer cautions her listeners about "all kinds of crazy things people do in the name of love" while remaining upbeat and optimistic. "When One Door Closes" is possibly the most infectious song on the album. She sings it like a gospel hymn, inviting her audience to open themselves up to new paths and new directions: "You can't pray for what you want, or what you'd have instead/You can only open up your heart, and ask that you be led." This song is probably the best-produced of this album, and features an upbeat gospel chorus in the background. This genuine spirituality pervades Newcomer's music; in the gentle "Close Your Eyes," she reassures her listener that "your heart knows why/and what's the truth, and what's the lie." Newcomer's lyrics could often stand alone as written poetry, yet the music enhances and deepens their meaning. "The Moon Over Tucson," based on the essay "High Tide in Tucson" by novelist Barbara Kingsolver, explores the premieval forces, like the pulling of the moon, that call us and move us even though we may not be consciously aware of them; as Newcomer reminds us "so much of what we are we won't call by name." In "The Razor's Edge," Newcomer's sings of a difficult past and her brave resolve to move forward. The song starts out quiet and builds throughout, as the singer literally finds her voice, and ends in a fast and furious jam on the electric guitar by members of Newcomer's band. Newcomer's performance on this song is reminiscent of that of the Pretenders' Chrissy Hynde, and proves that she has the versatility and vocal strength to sing rock. Newcomer's slower, acoustic ballads - like all her music - are remarkable in that they express her own personal experience in a way that invites her listeners to see parallels in their own lives. "The Length of My Arms" is about the singer's acceptance of what she has been born with - in this case arms that are "ridiculously long." "We finally cherish what we've got from the start/Like the length of our own arms, and the shape of our hearts." In the title song, "My True Name," Newcomer sings of the extraordinary freedom in being able to let down all facades and reveal true identity. "My True Name" is an appropriate title for this thoughtfully-written, brilliantly performed album. Carrie Newcomer's voice comes across strong and clear. Whatever you name her style - folk, country, rock - her music is among the most honest and original being made today."

Uplifting, emotional, and honest...you'll love this CD

01/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD displays Carries tremendous range as a singer-songwriter. At times, this CD rocks (Razor's Edge), while at other times offers a country feel (What Kind of Love Is This). It even offers a gospel feel in (When One Door Closes...), which has to be one of the most uplifting songs I've ever heard. I think the best writing that's done anywhere today is in the current group of singer-songwriters, and to my mind (and ear), Carrie Newcomer is the brightest star in the group. If you like pure, honest, great music, you'll love this CD. And, if you get a chance to see Carrie and her band perform live, its a show not to be missed. Easy 5 stars."

Heart-warming and true, this music gets you where you live

06/12/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My True Name, like all of Carrie Newcomer's recordings, shows her uncanny ability to remind us of the value in the little things that we all take for granted, but that tie us together and make us human. Her view is refreshingly optimistic and her lyrics subtle and hard to pin down. She sings with a voice that is incredibly warm and flexible and a style that combines the best of folk, country, and rock. I am uplifted every time I listen to this intelligent, expressive music."