It’s been a way too long spell – since 2008’s When You’re Feet Hit the Stars, to be exact- since we’ve been blissfully wrapped in Carrie Biell’s transcendent singing and songwriting, which inspired a passionate indie following via radio airplay and a constant stream of shows in her adopted hometown of Seattle all throughout her 20s.
We can easily forgive her for part of that time, her choosing to focus on being a mom since 2013 and all, and even moreso now considering all the ethereal vocal magic, hypnotic grooves and strumming, quirky sonic palettes and insights into every aspect of relationships (holding on, letting go, moving on, longing to stick with it come what many, et al) she brings us on her long awaited latest full length We Get Along, Leading up to this re-emergence, of course, she’s hardly been creatively dormant, forming the queer synth rock band Moon Palace in the mid-2010s with her on bass and twin sister Cat Biell on guitar.
Her parallel solo and band careers come together uniquely with her decision to put “Faultlines” – a dark, haunting meditation on humbly acknowledging one’s faults, which reminds us “it ain’t easy to judge a history from a lifetime of cracks” – on her solo album a year after an airier, more whimsical version became Moon Palace’s latest single. It’s a rare glimpse into an artist whose modes of expression seem limitless.
Beyond that fascinating glimpse into both sides of Biell's artistry, We Get Along comes across autobiographically, as if she’s been writing out the details of a lot of relationships in a diary and seeking the right moment to share reflections of fresh but cautious hope (the dreamy hypnotic ballad “Come By”), opening to love despite being a lifelong people pleaser (the breathy, soulful “See Through The Trees”) , and pointedly asking a partner who’s ready to throw in the towel, via a pop/rock dreamscape, “What Good Does It Do?”
The most engaging songs, hands down, however (and the ones you’ll want to hear over and over) are the funky, old school T-Rex inspired rocker “We Get Along” (another “don’t give up” theme!) and “California Baby,”, rollicking slice of magical fun that expresses a desire to break free from the pandemic quarantine blues while also being poignantly heartfelt about missing her original home state and longing to return to a more innocent time.