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
The Prelude
Carrie Newcomer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you close your eyes
You didn't see the signs Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong
Maybe I thought I had met my match
But maybe I'm not that strong
I'm all right I'm just fine
It's a shame you can't take words back
Cause they hang in the air, they linger and that's a fact
Words can be arrows, they can be windows
They can do so very much of mean so very little
Maybe I'm just amazed that I could feel thins hard
Maybe when I fall these days, I only fall so far
It's a way of letting go, when you steel yourself
For some kind of trouble, and cut your losses low
And you smile like it's no big deal
Like it's one more misjudgment
In the way that you thought you'd feel
But I'm not finished I'm not done
Maybe I've just started, maybe I'm only numb
Maybe I'm just amazed that I could feel this hard
Maybe when I fall these days
I only fall so far
The Prelude by Carrie Newcomer is a reflective and contemplative song about a relationship that is coming to an end. The melancholic melody, calming instrumentation, and soulful vocals add to the emotional intensity of the lyrics. The opening lines "It's a prelude to goodbye, when you close your eyes, you didn't see the signs" establish the theme of the song, which is essentially about coming to terms with the end of a romantic relationship. The singer reflects on their emotions and how they cope with the situation. The lines "maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong, maybe I thought I had met my match, but maybe I'm not that strong" indicate that the singer is uncertain about their thoughts and feelings, and is grappling with the idea of moving on.
The song is a poignant reminder that words can hurt and linger long after they have been spoken. The lines "It's a shame you can't take words back, cause they hang in the air, they linger and that's a fact" express regret over past words or actions that may have contributed to the breakdown of the relationship. The lyrics "maybe I'm just amazed that I could feel this hard, maybe when I fall these days, I only fall so far" suggest that the singer is questioning their ability to love or trust again. Ultimately, the song is about letting go of what was and trying to move forward, even if it hurts.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a prelude to goodbye
This moment is just the beginning of saying goodbye.
When you close your eyes
During that moment of silence when you deeply think about everything.
You didn't see the signs
You didn't realize or acknowledge the signs of the end of the relationship.
Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong
I am uncertain if the ending of this relationship is the right or wrong decision.
Maybe I thought I had met my match
I believed that I finally found someone who understood me completely.
But maybe I'm not that strong
I don't feel strong enough to handle the emotions that come with the breakup.
I'm all right I'm just fine
I'm pretending that I'm not hurting, but I'm actually in pain.
I've been hurt harder than I've been hurt this time
This breakup has caused me more pain than any other previous one.
It's a shame you can't take words back
Once words are spoken, they cannot be unsaid, which creates a sense of regret.
Cause they hang in the air, they linger and that's a fact
The words spoken between us are still affecting us and creating tension.
Words can be arrows, they can be windows
Words can either inflict pain or provide clarity and understanding.
They can do so very much of mean so very little
Words can hold so much weight and meaning or they can mean nothing at all.
Maybe I'm just amazed that I could feel thins hard
I am surprised that I can feel such intense emotions.
Maybe when I fall these days, I only fall so far
I am cautious and guarded with my emotions, so I don't fall as far as I used to.
It's a way of letting go when you steel yourself
Sometimes, we need to protect ourselves from the pain of the breakup by detaching emotionally.
For some kind of trouble and cut your losses low
Sometimes it's better to walk away and accept the loss to avoid prolonging the pain.
And you smile like it's no big deal
I pretend that the breakup is not affecting me, by smiling and acting casual.
Like it's one more misjudgment
I'm treating the breakup as just another mistake in my romantic life.
In the way that you thought you'd feel
The pain that I am experiencing is not how I thought I would feel.
But I'm not finished I'm not done
I still have a lot to process and work through before I can move on.
Maybe I've just started maybe I'm only numb
I may be in the beginning stages of grieving, or I may just be repressing my emotions.
Maybe I'm just amazed that I could feel this hard
I am amazed at how deeply I can feel and love, even if it ends in heartbreak.
Maybe when I fall these days I only fall so far
I am careful and guarded with my heart, so I don't experience the same heartbreak as before.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CARRIE ANN NEWCOMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind