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
Under Your Skin
Carrie Newcomer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was wearing my hair long, I was loving an angry man
I wore too much eyeliner
I spent time in a new town, playing covers for tips
I spent my birthday this year in Ohio in a Day's Inn hotel
It's all in who you are and where you've been
That gets into your bones that get under your skin
That gets into your bones than get written on your heart
That gets under your skin
I spent time on Lake Michigan, we were drinking in high school
We were restless and waiting, restless and wanting
For something to break
And time and another I was watching it wither
I was holding my hands out, holding my hands up
Holding it together
There have been people and partings
And those things that you should have seen coming
There have been memories and moments
And those faces you can't forget
I lay back with my baby, we were lit up like lanterns
We were rolling like laughter, rolling like thunder
Rolling around in your arms
It's a strange adventure, this whole getting older
There is so much to measure, so much to treasure
So much to grieve
And there is a girl at the counter and she's pouring me coffee
She's wearing her hair long, she's got too much eyeliner
Like I used to wear
She's pouring me coffee, she's got to much eyeliner
Like I used to wear
The lyrics of Carrie Newcomer's "Under Your Skin" revolve around the idea that our experiences shape us in many ways, and that they become a part of who we are. The song begins with the singer reflecting on her past experiences, including a time when she was working in a truck stop, wearing too much eyeliner, and loving an angry man. She then talks about spending time in a new town, playing music for tips, and spending her birthday in a hotel in Ohio. She emphasizes that these experiences, though different, all have one thing in common: they have become a part of her.
As the song continues, the singer reflects on other experiences that have left a mark on her. She talks about spending time on Lake Michigan with friends in high school, feeling restless and wanting something to break. She also reflects on holding things together when they start to fall apart, and on the people she has met and lost along the way. Throughout the song, the message is clear: our experiences get under our skin and stay with us, leaving a lasting impression on who we are.
Overall, "Under Your Skin" emphasizes the importance of embracing our past experiences and allowing them to shape us without completely defining us. The song is a reminder that even the most challenging experiences can be valuable in helping us grow and become who we are meant to be.
Line by Line Meaning
I spent time in a truck stop, time pouring coffee
I worked at a truck stop serving coffee to customers
I was wearing my hair long, I was loving an angry man
I had long hair and was in a relationship with a man who had anger issues
I wore too much eyeliner
I used to wear a lot of eyeliner
I spent time in a new town, playing covers for tips
I played music in a new town for tips by performing cover songs
I spent my birthday this year in Ohio in a Day's Inn hotel
I spent my birthday in a budget hotel in Ohio
It's all in who you are and where you've been
The experiences we have and the places we've been shape who we are
That gets into your bones that get under your skin
Life experiences become a part of who we are in a deep, lasting way
It's not just the memories you take from them
Our experiences are more than just memories we hold onto
That gets into your bones than get written on your heart
Our experiences leave an indelible mark on our hearts and souls
That gets under your skin
Our experiences become a part of us in a profound way
I spent time on Lake Michigan, we were drinking in high school
I drank on Lake Michigan during my high school years
We were restless and waiting, restless and wanting
We were eager for something new and exciting in our lives
For something to break
We wanted something to change or happen that would shake things up
And time and another I was watching it wither
Over time, I watched something important in my life slowly fade away
I was holding my hands out, holding my hands up
I was doing everything in my power to hold onto what was slipping away
Holding it together
I was trying to keep things from falling apart
There have been people and partings
There have been people who have come and gone in my life
And those things that you should have seen coming
There were signs that these people and things would not stay in my life forever
There have been memories and moments
I have memories of people and experiences that have shaped who I am
And those faces you can't forget
There are people whose faces and memories are permanently etched in my mind
I lay back with my baby, we were lit up like lanterns
I was with my loved one, feeling alive and happy
We were rolling like laughter, rolling like thunder
We were enjoying each other's company with great energy and enthusiasm
Rolling around in your arms
We were embracing and physically close
It's a strange adventure, this whole getting older
The process of getting older and experiencing life is a strange but fascinating journey
There is so much to measure, so much to treasure
There are many things to reflect on and appreciate in life
So much to grieve
There are also things we may have lost and must come to terms with
And there is a girl at the counter and she's pouring me coffee
I see a younger version of myself in a girl who is serving me coffee
She's wearing her hair long, she's got too much eyeliner
She looks similar to how I used to look
Like I used to wear
Brings back memories of my youth and how I used to look and act
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CARRIE ANN NEWCOMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind