When Your Feet Hit the Stars

The first time I listened to Carrie Biell’s new album, When Your Feet Hit the Stars, I felt like falling asleep. All but nine of its ten songs are ballads. However, during the second listen I came to appreciate Biell’s smoky, soulful voice. The music is indeed mellow and great to listen to when you are stressed out. However, there are two songs that pick up the pace a bit. The sixth track “Parading” is a bit of a jolt with its driving drum beat because the first five songs are so mellow. “Bound to Be” is the last song, and it too is unexpected for the same reason as “Parading.”

When Your Feet Hit the Stars is folk music with bluegrass instrumentation (dobro, banjo, mandolin, pedal steel, upright bass). The lyrics are intense, but interesting. For example, in the song “Gone without Me” Biell sings about her blind mother:

My mother she said to me “I lost my eyes when you were a child and I never got to see you turn into a lady. I used to blame the Lord for doing this to me, but feeling bad for yourself don’t do a thing.”

If you like to listen to female folk singer/songwriters Carrie Biell is your girl, and When Your Feet Hit the Stars is the next album you should buy.

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