The New York Times - Louder: The Making of Brandi Carlile

April 2, 2021

By Caryn Ganz

Pop Music Editor

A story that begins with a “kitten emergency” and ends with yet another Grammy win: Amanda Hess has captured Brandi Carlile so brilliantly as the singer and songwriter prepares to release her memoir, “Broken Horses,” next week, following an explosive rise after a major moment at the 2019 Grammys. This profile is beautifully written, and packed with illuminating details (like how Carlile recorded the “I’m gay” episode of “Ellen” on a VHS tape labeled with the name of her high school boyfriend). A true must-read.

We have a wealth of interviews with powerful women this week. Jim Farber spoke with Merry Clayton, one of music’s greatest backup singers, as she readies her first new album in over 25 years, after recovering from a car accident that resulted in the amputation of both of her legs below the knee. When she got the news in the hospital, “They thought I was just going to fall out at that point,” she told Jim. “But I just asked them, ‘Did anything happen to my voice?’” When she was told no, she started singing. “Once I did that, my sister said, ‘Let’s get out of here. If she’s singing, she’s fine.’”

One more profile highlight, then I’ll keep it moving: Jeremy Gordon chatted with the elusive Kevin Shields, who announced My Bloody Valentine is coming to streaming services (!), reissuing albums on vinyl (!!) and preparing two new albums (!!!).

But I cannot conclude without directing everyone to Jon Caramanica’s notebook on Lil Nas X and the wondrous orchestra of outrage he is conducting from his Twitter account this week. And Ben Sisario’s look at how the live music business is starting to get rolling again.

And, lol, before I forget: a correction from last week’s Louder, where I misstated a fact about our review of Lana Del Rey’s latest album. I called it a Critic’s Pick; it wasn’t. And yes, I regret the error.

Continue reading the main story

Brandi Carlile Has Always Seen Herself Clearly. Now It’s Our Turn.

In her new memoir, “Broken Horses,” the singer-songwriter takes a deep look at how “a mean, scrappy little trailer girl with the wrong clothes” became a six-time Grammy winner.

By Amanda Hess

Steve Gullick

Kevin Shields on My Bloody Valentine’s Return: Time Is ‘More Precious’

Eight years after the shoegaze pioneers’ last album, the band is bringing its catalog to streaming services, reissuing records on vinyl and recording two new albums.

By Jeremy Gordon

Joyce Kim for The New York Times

The Unstoppable Merry Clayton

One of music’s greatest backup singers is releasing “Beautiful Scars,” her first new album in over 25 years, after surviving an accident that proved that her incredible strength isn’t only in her voice.

By Jim Farber

CRITIC’S NOTEBOOK

Youtube

Critic’s Notebook

Lil Nas X, Clapback Champ

The rapper’s new single, video and sneaker were merely the prelude to a brilliantly orchestrated main event: a virtuosic performance on Twitter.

By Jon Caramanica

PLAYLIST & POPCAST

The Playlist

Olivia Rodrigo’s Emotional Road Trip, and 8 More New Songs

Hear tracks by Westside Gunn, Rosanne Cash, Dry Cleaning and others.

By Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica, Giovanni Russonello and Lindsay Zoladz

Taylor, Billie, Demi, Blackpink: The Pop Star Documentary Boom

A conversation about the influx of films made about (and by) current stars and its implications for the format.

Continue reading the main story

Esperanza Spalding’s Quest to Find Healing in Music

The bassist, vocalist and producer’s latest project is a therapeutic suite of songs sparked at an artists’ retreat she started during the pandemic.

By Marcus J. Moore

How Flock of Dimes Found Herself (With a Little Help From Her Friends)

Jenn Wasner has tended to let thoughts rather than feelings guide her songwriting. For her second solo album, “Head of Roses,” she did the opposite.

By Lindsay Zoladz

A Rapper, Hitting His 30s, Reinvents Himself as a Scion of Spanish Pop

C. Tangana was a provocative star of trap music. Now, his songs are played in supermarkets and praised by 50- and 60-somethings on YouTube.

By Alex Marshall

Doc Severinsen Recalls High Notes, Low Notes and Everything in Between

The trumpeter and former “Tonight Show” bandleader tells tales from his personal life and his work with Johnny Carson in a new PBS documentary.

By Dave Itzkoff

Action Bronson, Eater by Trade, Finds a New Craving: Fitness

The rapper, chef and TV host has shed 130 pounds during the pandemic, dieting and exercising with the same intensity he once brought to the table.

By Jon Caramanica

NEWS

Krista Schlueter for The New York Times

Itchy to Perform Again, Musicians Eye Return to Touring

For now, there may be just a trickle of events (a Dinosaur Jr. tour, the lineup for Bonnaroo in September), but many artists are said to be planning live announcements soon.

By Ben Sisario

T.J. Kirkpatrick for The New York Times

Paul Simon Sells His Entire Songwriting Catalog to Sony

Sony Music Publishing has acquired his “complete collection” in the latest blockbuster transaction in the music publishing business.

By Ben Sisario

David Bernstein/Mills College

Is the Music Over at Mills College?

A hotbed of experimental sound for nearly a century, this school in Oakland, Calif., is preparing to close its doors.

By Geeta Dayal

Continue reading the main story

Live Performing Arts Are Returning to N.Y.C., but Not All at Once

Starting on Friday, theaters, comedy clubs and other arts venues can open at 33-percent capacity. The formula doesn’t work for everyone.

By Julia Jacobs

Testing, One, Two. Fans Flock to an Experimental Indoor Rock Concert.

An organizer said this Barcelona event, one of several planned in Europe, was “a small but important step toward normality.” The listeners there basked in being part of an audience again.

By Raphael Minder

The Charts

Justin Bieber’s ‘Justice’ Debuts at No. 1, Ending Morgan Wallen’s Run

The pop superstar’s new album and the latest from Lana Del Rey bumped the country singer-songwriter to No. 3 after 10 weeks atop the Billboard 200.

By Ben Sisario

Eurovision Song Contest Disqualifies Belarus Over Political Lyrics

The song’s lyrics were found to violate the competition’s rules in what critics called an endorsement of President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko’s crackdown on antigovernment protests.

By Anna Schaverien