Carrie Melbourne is not new to music, with a pedigree of both classical training in music and success as a session and performance musician with British artists Babylon Zoo, Tricky and Mike Oldfield. Not to mention a solo career with her own band a few year ago. However, as someone who has found it imperative to center her life around God, her new album "Et Spiritu Sancti" is her first venture of melding her deep-rooted beliefs with her talent of song-writing. Incorporating a mixture of her own lyrics ("Mary's Song"), those of medieval authors ("Jesus Christ the Apple Tree"), and even a prayer written by the leader of her parish, she sets the words to irresistible melodies. "Our inspiration is given to us by God and Jesus, and in some ways we are in fact, just a conduit for him. Music is part of our prayer.......", says Carrie, when talking about her inspiration for her music.
The album has just been released, but already Carrie has been noticed by radio programs such as the BBC's Radio 4's award-winning program "Something Understood", which will feature her song "Breath of Prayer" in an upcoming show. Although her music tends to resist being pigeon holed into a certain genre because of her versatility, she is optimistic that it will fill a gap in the Christian music market. Reflective of her personal approach to ministry and promoting God's word through her work in the community parish, she feels that music must also touch something personal in the listener. "I think in many ways music is always trying to convey the same elements of passion and technical expertise.......it is one of the great communicators in life", she said, when talking about her music and that of other Christian song-writers.
Combining prayers set to music, such as her "Our Father", her music inspires contemplation and thoughtfulness. However Carrie does not stop at comfortable lyrics. With her venture into "Mary's Song", she explores the feelings of Mary as she struggles with the conflicting emotions of happiness and sorrow when faced with telling Joseph about the conception of Jesus, and the fear of the societal implications of such a revelation.
In "Breath of Prayer", the lyrics metaphorically inspire one to think of breathing and taking in the divine, becoming closer to God through the act of meditation. In a joyous message in "Declaration Day" she sings about a God who does not judge, and invites us to dance and sing with him, the song elegantly fused with background vocals and keyboards. The diversity of her music continues with the song inspired by a medieval carol "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree", and a poem by 16th century British priest and poet George Herbert set to music in "King of Glory".
The diversity of the tracks will make it an album that will appeal to a wide-range of listeners that want some music to think about - and listen to again and again.
.*.| Posted January 22, 2010
2010 has barely started and so many new artists with new albums coming out. It's going to be a good year. I hope her album is good :)