Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Age of Miracles
Following 2008’s stunning Christmas release Come Darkness, Come Light, comes The Age of Miracles. Quieter and more subdued than some of Chapin’s earlier work, but achingly beautiful, these songs quite simply speak to your soul with repeated listens; more in the ilk of her much loved Stones in the Road release. In one word, exquisite.
The musical accompaniments are simple, in fitting with the style of the lyrically beautiful songs. Some of the standout tracks include The Age of Miracles, a song filled with hope that our miracle will come along if we believe, Mrs Hemingway with its poignant story of the Hemingways’ life in Paris and possibly her best piece of writing to date, the stirring I Have A Need For Solitude, which speaks of her love of the quiet of her ranch back home and the moving 4 June 1989 which recalls the events of the Tiananmen Square protests from the perspective of a young soldier. Then there is the one more upbeat song, Last Night I Put my Ring Back on, which allows Chapin’s more playful side to come through a little.
Quite simply, Mary Chapin Carpenter shines in this release, lyrically and vocally and whether a long time fan or new to her music, everyone should own this CD. It shows her as the songwriter she really is; in my opinion of the calibre of Gretchen Peters, yet never quite recognised as such. As CDs go, The Age of Miracles is about as close to perfection as it gets.
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