Live At Benaroya Hall (with The Seattle Symphony)

iTunes Review

Brandi Carlile is one of the few musicians able to make pop-rock that appeals to the Americana set. She grew up listening to Elton John, whose “Sixty Years On” kicks off this live set that pairs her with the Seattle Symphony. Her own music has always had a sense of heightened experience that makes for great art. “Looking Out” climbs the walls with great ambition. “Before It Breaks” begins at the piano. The Seattle Symphony adds drama, punching up the sound with horns, woodwinds and strings. Tim and Phil Hanseroth, members of her backing band, perform a note-perfect rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence.” Carlile joins the countless artists who have covered Leonard Cohen’s immortal “Hallelujah.” This edition of the album includes her cover of Alphaville’s “Forever Young.” Her healthy dose of originals sounds fierce. “Dreams” plays like a classical rock powerhouse. “Shadow On the Wall” is gentle, like a piece of Donovan folk crossbred with an up and coming rock singer.