Carry Each Other

Description

Carry Each Other is a cover album by the American singer and songwriter Sandra McCracken, independently released on Steadfast Music in February 2022.

Many of us might make playlists of those important songs. The ones that have carried us through loss and broken hearts and grief or even the soundtracks of joyous moments of love and happiness.

Sandra McCracken decided to go one better and record an album of songs that have carried her. She sang on «Fool’s Gold» from her 2018 Songs From The Valley album “Nobody needs another love song/ Sometimes you need to sing your own song.”

I reviewed Mary Gauthier’s book Saved By a Song recently and this is McCracken declaring with honorary performances songs that have carried her. She is singing the songs of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, U2, REM, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and more.

McCracken has this wonderfully rich and varied body of recorded work, shifting from modern worship to standing up as a songwriter in the real world. I first became a fan listening to her 2004 album Best Laid Plans and obviously loved «Portadown Station» from Gravity/Love.

Twenty years of listening to Sandra McCracken will tell you that she is an artist of taste. That comes through beautifully in this collection.

Production is far from over bearing in these arrangements but they all so interesting; the near vaudeville piano of «Most Of The Time»; the strings on «Everybody Hurts»; the percussive shuffle of «Only Love Can Break Your Heart»; the subtle harmony on «It Ain’t Me Babe».

There is a hypnotic fluidity to the guitar playing, particularly on «One» and the utterly sublime on «Weather With You».

The stand out throughout is Sandra’s voice. Rocked up, country twang and gentle songwriter emotion. She brings new nuances from every single track. Anthem has never been more hymn like and I think Leonard would smile down at that.

In the seeming diminutive frame of Sandra McCracken there lies a musician, songwriter, worship leader and theologian. She’s an imaginative artist that knows what to do with a song. She does it all here… and if you want a playlist of songs to carry you…

AND… literally as I go to press with this blog Sandra has released a single – her version of «Dreams», not the California West Coast Stevie Nicks one but the west of Ireland Cranberries one. Again the guitars… and this time Molly Parden on harmony vocals… [Steve Stockman, Soul Surmise, 05/03/2022]

> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/carry-each-other/1607828213)

CD tracklist:

01. One
02. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
03. Most Of The Time
04. Everybody Hurts
05. Heart Of A Girl
06. Anthem
07. Fairest Of The Seasons
08. Weather With You
09. It Ain’t Me Babe
10. You Can Never Hold Back Spring
11. What’ll I Do

[youtube_sc url=”” playlist=”p7JdCcH_PTI,dBPIjL_vZuQ,aHkspebrW4Q,Y9q7gFSX7oU,YeXwVQmZlfY,r4MzhpBCO_E,Q7Du76Iu_mE,1TYUaiRlRqU,X-_F_TkAU-I,TE0VLfBI4nA,XTsLiijiXk0″ title=”Sandra McCracken, Carry Each Other – ” autohide=”1″ rel=”0″]

[youtube_sc url=”p7JdCcH_PTI” title=”One – Recorded at Sonic Ranch, from the album Carry Each Other (Release Date, 2.10.2022)” autohide=”1″ rel=”0″]