Carell Casey – A New Day CD Review

Carell Casey – A New Day

Carell Casey was a new name to me, discovered through CD Baby. A wonderful site where you can pick up some really awesome albums by artists on independent labels. Artists who are just emerging onto the music scene or are just too good to break through into the mainstream market.

A New Day is an emotional journey guided by rich yet strangely simple and evocative lyrics, a youthful innocence and warmth that reminds the listener of a blistering hot summer’s day out in baked fields. This is a nicely flowing album packed full of little gems. A rollercoaster ride through the emotions. This album defies labelling as it touches on so many different types of music. This is an album for people who want to go on a cathartic journey.

The album kicks off its journey in classy style with the title track – A New Day. I am struck instantly with the similarities between the vocals of Carell Casey and Lucinda Williams. Carell’s vocals are strong and bold but lack Lucinda’s gravely overtones; this is not a bad thing – far from it in fact. Carell has her own unique sound and stamp, which echoes strongly through this collection of songs. The lyrics here show that this is an album of high class, a painter’s pallet of words strung together by music that help the songs fit together like pieces in a tantalizing puzzle. No where here does the music encroach on the vocals or over shadow the poetic lyrics. The lyrics in this opening song are catchy and speak of a new day, a new dawn. Carell’s vocals add a certain atmosphere to the song - the lyrics spring to life and become moving pictures in the listeners mind. This is only the opening song and already I am mesmerized. I cannot wait to journey further through the album and see what other treats and surprises are in store.

It soon becomes clear that this is not an album of boring, whimsical songs that have no real content. This is an album of songs that capture a small piece of the heart in every line, in every melody. An album that shows how beauty can emerge like an angel from the darkness.

Sweet Harmony shows a slightly softer side to Carell’s vocals. This is a gentler song than the opening track. The harmonies in the chorus blend together beautifully; creating a haunting sound that lingers in the listener’s ears long after the song has ended. A great deal of emotion seems to spill from Carell’s vocals during this song. This song evokes traditional country music styles yet it has a fresh, new sound about it.

Beautiful has a great intro and shows yet another side to Carell’s vocal talents. This song is extremely catchy yet the lyrics are raw and untainted, poetic and seemingly so strong yet also so fragile. This is a song that exudes pure unadulterated emotion. Not a song for the faint hearted! For me this is the stand out song of the whole album.

Goodbye Jindabyne is another song that shows off Carell’s strong vocals. This song mixes rock with modern folk to create a wonderfully uplifting combination.

Sweet Love sees Carell switch back to her gentler, softer side. This is a song packed with delicate vocals and emotion stripped bare. This song blends simple music with Carell’s vibrant tones to create the sound of an angel. This is a song, which will melt even the strongest of hearts. This is a song of pure beauty, a song to fall in love to.

Dancing has a breathtaking opening that leads to some magnificent and evocative lyrics and a catchy chorus that uplifts the heart. ‘Falling teaches us the art of resilience’ Carell sings and how true that lyric is. This is a more uplifting song than many of the others on this album, if not in content then most definitely in sound and style.

Sincerely is a heartfelt emotional song that easily finds a special place in the listener’s heart. Carell mixes raw emotion with a truly organic sound here to create a top class song. This would have to be another favourite on the album.

Too Tireless To Tame has some fantastic lyrics ‘I am a ghost with no grave’. It is a song that again reminds me how similar Lucinda Williams and Carell Casey are in both sound and style.

So Are You For Me starts off with a drum beating time. Carell’s style changes again here. This song starts off stripped bare, back to basics then slowly emerges into a blossoming flower full of grace and beauty.

Carell can switch styles it seems as easy as flicking on and off a light switch. She exudes passion and honestly in all her lyrics and she shows a sensual side in songs like On Fire and Beautiful, a song that bubbles over with sensuality.

Sadly the final track on a truly brilliant album comes around all too soon. On Fire is a stunningly beautiful song that is rich in emotion and haunting lyrics. This song is amazingly tender; Carell’s vocals here are sublime and delicious. This is a song that stands out from the crowd. Carell’s soothing vocals easily bring a tear to the listener’s eye. The backing is gentle and does not over shadow Carell’s angelic voice. This is a gorgeous song to bring the album to a close.

Carell Casey has a talent that speaks for itself in this collection of emotive and thought provoking songs. She shows the listener through her words – love, passion, clarity and life. Small glimpses into the world through the eyes of a poet. This album is beauty at its very best.