Newcomer is recognised as a rare breed of singer/songwriter: the kind who illuminates life with startling depth, humor and clarity. Her ability for sharp observation of the world lead the Dallas Morning News to rave, "She's the kind of artist whose music makes you stop, think and then say, 'that is so true'." Mining what is true, Newcomer's latest Rounder release, Before and After is a multi-layered work that invites the listener to slow down and reflect on the experiences that have changed and shaped our lives. On Before and After, Newcomer remarks, she has "peeled back another musical and emotional layer". The result is melodious and smooth, infused with classic Newcomer grace and honesty, so that, she says "there is something unguarded and naked about this album."
Praised by Billboard as a "soaring songstress," Newcomer is an acclaimed musician who continues to create music from her uniquely spiritual and poignant take on the world. Before and After is no exception, highlighting Newcomer's ability to blend her rich alto with a poetic lyricism on a skillfully arranged and performed collection of folk roots tracks, with Appalachian and classical influences. "The joy and challenge in creating this album was endeavoring to be fearlessly uncluttered and subtle," Newcomer says. The title track features an unforgettably haunting and beautiful duet with a special guest appearance by Mary Chapin Carpenter, launching the album with a remarkable collaboration from two of acoustic music's most resonant female vocalists.
Recorded and produced by Newcomer and David Weber at Airtime Studios, Before and After is Newcomer's twelfth release on Rounder, with prior albums including Regulars & Refugees, The Age of Possibility, The Gathering of Spirits, the Betty's Diner collection and her last critically acclaimed album The Geography of Light. Before and After results from working closely with a core of exceptional musicians, including Gary Walters on piano, Chris Wagoner on violin, mandolin, dobro and accordion, Mary Gaines on cello, Byron House on upright acoustic bass, Jim Brock on percussion, Keith Skooglund on guitar, and a second stunning duet featuring special guest Krista Detor on "Do No Harm." At the center is Newcomer's adept guitar work and resonant voice, which the Austin Statesman has described as being "as rich as Godiva chocolate." The album's artwork features the work of Hugh Syme, whose sense of magical realism captures Newcomer's joyous idea about finding miracles in common places.
On Before and After, the listener experiences a deep connection through Newcomer's lyrics, which explore life with a progressive spiritual sensibility. The Minneapolis City Pages wrote, "Newcomer's musing is deeply introspective, but she offers it with a poet's sense of nuance and a folkie's common touch, turning philosophical theory into the stuff of people's daily lives." On the captivating title track, Newcomer ponders the notion that "We live our lives from then until now, by the mercies received or the mark upon our brow" - exploring the large and small experiences by which we mark our lives. On "Stones in the River" she tenderly reveals that we may never see fruit from the seeds we plant today, but regardless, it is still vital that we plant them. She holds close the insistence of hope in "If Not Now" ("But miracles do happen every shining now and then") in a style reminiscent of the richness and depth of the traditional spirituals. From the cinematic lushness of "Before and After" to the elegant string accompaniments of "I Do Not Know Its Name," to the lighthearted and poignant "I Wish I May I Wish I Might," Before and After is both timeless and contemporary.
Newcomer, a Quaker, cuts across secular and spiritual boundaries. In recent years, she has emerged as a respected and recognized artistic voice for the progressive spiritual community. On Before and After, Newcomer continues to be inspired by her friendships and recent collaborations with leading authors and theologians, including Parker J. Palmer, Phillip Gulley, Scott Russell Sanders, Jim Wallis, Brian McLaren, Jill Bolte Taylor, Richard K. Thomas and Barbara Kingsolver. Her relationship with this community influenced many of the album's compelling themes and inspired the songs: "Do No Harm," "Stones in the River," and "I Wish I May, I Wish I Might."
Newcomer has worked with many notable artists throughout her career and has met with critical acclaim for her music. In 2008, she was listed as one of the Top Most Influential Artists of the past 25 Years by Boston's WUMB. Her successful 2008 release, The Geography of Light, also earned her Artist of the Year and Album of the Year from Folk Wax Magazine. She has toured with Alison Krauss and Union Station in Europe and the U.S. and recorded the title track of her 2002 The Gathering of Spirits album with Krauss. Krauss went on to introduce Nickel Creek to Newcomer's song "I Should've Known Better," which the band recorded on their Grammy-winning, gold-selling album This Side (produced by Krauss). Currently Carrie is writing a collection of essays and a musical based on the characters and music of Betty's Diner with author, playwright and internationally recognized sound designer Richard K. Thomas.
Newcomer's music has been praised in Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Acoustic Guitar, Performing Songwriter, Paste Magazine and several other outlets. In the words of acclaimed writer Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible, "Carrie Newcomer is much more than a musician. She's a poet, storyteller, snake charmer, good neighbor, friend and lover, minister of the wide-eyed gospel of hope and grace."
In the fall of 2009, Newcomer was invited by The American Center, the cultural outreach division of The American Embassy in India, to represent the U.S. as a cultural ambassador. Newcomer performed concerts for Indian audiences and young people involved with community service, taught workshops on songwriting, community service, and met and performed with contemporary, traditional and classical Indian musicians. She also visited slum programs for women and children at risk throughout the country of India. About her impressions of India, Newcomer says, "Music can be a language deeper than words. I love our differences. Cultures are rich and what makes each culture unique is to be celebrated, but I was powerfully moved by what we share as a human family."
www.carrienewcomer.com
Hush
Carrie Newcomer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we'll curl into a question mark
And I'll hold you in the arms of Hush
And love will have to be enough
There's a time to laugh and a time to grieve
A time to speak and a time to breathe
Let the silence be the place we meet
[Chorus]
Hey la hey la hey li
Hush my darling hush a bye
Sparrows fall and sparrows fly
And we may not ever know why
Some things we can forgive one time
Then it's out of sight and it's out of mind
Some things we have to forgive twice
And every day for all our lives
[Chorus]
The known world is an open letter
The unknown world we'll brave together
I'll knit you a redemption sweater
To wrap your troubles in
You can rest your head upon my heart
And we'll curl into a question mark
And I'll hold you in the arms of hush
And love will have to be enough
[Chorus]
In "Hush," singer and songwriter Carrie Newcomer offers a gentle, comforting presence to someone who is hurting. The lyrics depict the singer offering a safe place for another person, where they can rest and find solace. The image of "curl[ing] into a question mark" embodies the healing and questioning that can happen in the space where someone feels held and cared for. The singer acknowledges that there are times for laughter, grieving, speaking, and breathing, but that sometimes finding peace and forgiveness requires silence and the company of someone who can simply offer love and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
You can rest your head upon my heart
You can find comfort in me, and I will be your support system.
And we'll curl into a question mark
We will lay together, and we will both have questions about the world.
And I'll hold you in the arms of Hush
I will embrace you in stillness and peace, giving you a moment of rest and tranquility.
And love will have to be enough
Despite the difficulties of life, our love will sustain us.
There's a time to laugh and a time to grieve
Life has many ups and downs, and we need to experience and express both joy and sorrow.
A time to speak and a time to breathe
Sometimes we need to be vocal about our feelings, and other times we need to take a step back and focus on our breath.
Let the silence be the place we meet
In times of uncertainty or tumultuous emotions, we can find solace in quietude and nonverbal understanding.
In the space between heart beats
Our connection does not always need to be verbal or physical--it can exist in the quiet spaces between heartbeats.
Hey la hey la hey li
This is a vocable or meaningless syllable meant to add emotion and rhythm to the song.
Hush my darling hush a bye
Let yourself rest, and let me soothe you. Everything will be okay.
Sparrows fall and sparrows fly
Life is unpredictable; sometimes things will go wrong, and sometimes things will go right.
And we may not ever know why
There are answers beyond our reach, and sometimes we just have to accept that.
Some things we can forgive one time
Some wrongs are easier to move on from than others.
Then it's out of sight and it's out of mind
Once we forgive, it's important to let go and not dwell on past hurts.
Some things we have to forgive twice
Some wrongs take more time and effort to fully forgive and move on from.
And every day for all our lives
Forgiveness is a continual process--it's not just a one-time event.
The known world is an open letter
The world is wide and full of knowledge and experiences waiting to be explored.
The unknown world we'll brave together
We will face the unknown together, and support each other through whatever we may encounter.
I'll knit you a redemption sweater
I will make you something that represents our hope and renewal, and will help you face difficult times with strength.
To wrap your troubles in
You can take comfort in this gift, and in knowing that I am here to help and support you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CARRIE NEWCOMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind