Coming Home

It would be way too foolish of me to say Vanessa Carlton's new album is genius; even if I'm completely in love with it.
If Be Not Nobody was gloomy like Winter and Harmonium was luminous like Summer, Heroes & Thieves feel content with the moment. The first difference I noticed in H&T is that instead of a collection of songs, it feels more like a body of work, a story being told; that isn't notable only by the lyrics, but the melodies and arrangements feel like such - as if Carlton spent more time constructing music that feels like chapters in one's life. The best part is that it isn't anyone specific, so the connection with it isn't so difficult.
Nolita Fairytale feels right from the start as a wake up call. The literary feature of the song gets even cuter if you consider the fact Nolita is the neighborhood where Carlton has been living for at least the past two years, the period of time she describes in the song. But as I said, it's not only the lyrics that remit you to a moment of epiphany: the song with it's cheerful drums and piano and sharp percussion feels like a morning reverie.
So sweet that when you get to the second track, the amazing Hands On Me, you already feel it as first thoughts in bed. The magnanimous string section combined with the down-to-earth and urban-esque piano and percussion transmits you to a feeling of seriousness that matches with the fierce emphasis she imposes on the lyrics.
Then Spring Streets comes about a mother-daughter relationship, but in general it's about growing up and learning about life with life. And that's, in my opinion, the beauty of Carlton's songs. 27-year-old is almost the end of the second decade of one's life, but it's like the begining of adulthood, especially in today's world where people seem to grow up faster, but mature later. So, Carlton's song feel like songs made for people in their 20's done by someone in her 20's. All that in a humbleness that is part of Carlton's charisma; there's no patronizing in her lyrics and messages. And at the same time, it's lovely how the melodies and arrangements transmit the maturity she already has.
There's a charisma in Carlton's songs that goes beyond the innovative; in her three musical installments she had delivered songs that somehow feel similar in the pop piano aspect, but are able to bring different feelings to the listener. The other highlights for me are Come Undone, the country-ish The One (with Stevie Nicks), the title track Heroes & Thieves and Home.
[Song: More Than This - Vanessa Carlton.]