The ten songs on Carrie Biell’s new album We Get Along share an unity of purpose and theme that makes the Seattle based singer/songwriter’s new collection an instant contender for one of 2022’s best releases thus far. Biell is at home with several musical styles, never allowing herself to become a slave of any single direction, and her ability to move freely between musical masks diversifies these compositions in a way many of her contemporaries cannot match. Her new effort likewise exhibits the polish and thoughtfulness listeners associate with top-flight productions; there’s nothing cliché DIY about We Get Along. Even the cover art shows care.
She is a bit of a throwback. The track listing for the album has a clear design. Biell’s We Get Along leans to the side of slow-paced quasi balladry a great deal, but the more uptempo and rhythmically dynamic numbers are nestled near the collection’s midway point. She bookends those tracks with delicate songs built around almost quicksilver musical arrangements.
The opening trio of songs has undeniable delicacy. Interpersonal, often romantic, relationships are often her subject and the first track “Come By” is no exception. The lyrics are structured as a one-sided dialogue anyone who has endured the rockier days of love will readily recognize and she delivers each line with a breathy melancholy. There are some light effects present in her vocals, but the effect is never ostentatious. “See Through the Trees” uses the acoustic and electric guitar in tandem with great results. The latter takes a different role than the cliched guitar hero niche so common in popular music and concentrates on fleshing out rather than dominating the arrangement.
“No Kind of Motive” has remarkable clarity in its acoustic guitar that serves as almost a second vocalist for the performance. The effect is like an ongoing musical dialogue throughout the track. Another part of the production worth mentioning is the superb way Biell and her collaborators employ vocal multi-tracking. Some may find it a bit extravagant at times, but others will hear it as a lush addition to an already fine album. The drumming for the sixth track “We Get Along” has a physical edge lacking in the earlier tracks and will be a favorite for many. The lyrics cover familiar ground for Biell, but her skills are such that she never sounds like she’s repeating herself. Her ability to inhabit various perspectives through these songs is crucial to We Get Along’s success.
“California Baby” builds considerable momentum through its guitar work, but other instruments bring further rhythmic dimensions as well. It provides listeners with one of the most vigorous moments on the album and Biell’s singing matches the song’s musical verve. “Right Kind of Love” shares similarities with the aforementioned two songs but breaks with its slow and deliberate pacing. The dramatic pause in the music during the song’s second half is intelligent and elevates the song’s ending. The completeness of We Get Along is obvious with a single listen and it’s thankfully one of those albums that gets better with each additional play.
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Kim Muncie
