The Things That We Are Made Of | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 6, 2016 | |||
Genre | [1] | |||
Length | 48:49(standard edition) 57:52 (with bonus tracks) | |||
Label | Lambent Light Records | |||
Producer | Dave Cobb | |||
Mary Chapin Carpenter chronology | ||||
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The Things That We Are Made Of is the 14th studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Lambent Light Records on May 6, 2016. The album was produced by Dave Cobb.
Carpenter recorded The Things That We Are Made Of at Dave Cobb's Low Country Sound studio in Nashville, Tennessee; production was helmed by Cobb. She began writing the material for the album about four years prior, and described the writing process as similar to those of her previous works in an interview with Diane Rehm: "[W]henever I've started a record, I haven't really had, like, a topic or an agenda or anything to sort of stitch the songs together. They just kind of come out. And when I finished the writing for [The Things That We Are Made Of], I was able to sort of see it as one thing and it really was this sort of document of where I am in my life, what this age that I'm at is bringing to me, [and] what I have lost along the way." [2] In another interview with HuffPost , Carpenter said that the album's songs "poses questions at every verse", further adding that "What I was trying to articulate is that duality, two sides of ourselves that want to be unanswerable but also want that deep connection and safety. How to reconcile those two things? The song "Something Tamed Something Wild" poses that question and those conversations run through the record." [3]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [4] |
Pitchfork | 6.8/10 [5] |
Upon release, The Things We Are Made Of received mixed reviews from music critics. Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey of NPR called the album "surprising", however he praised Dave Cobb's production for "stripping Carpenter's arrangements back" in contrast to her previous album Songs from the Movie (2014). He also wrote: "In the process, she makes you believe that the lucky end of the stories we tell ourselves is the ability to look through memories and find real acceptance — the things we're made of and the strength to set off again." [6]
All tracks are written by Mary Chapin Carpenter
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Something Tamed Something Wild" | 3:46 |
2. | "The Middle Ages" | 3:48 |
3. | "What Does It Mean to Travel" | 3:09 |
4. | "Livingston" | 5:13 |
5. | "Map of My Heart" | 2:57 |
6. | "Oh Rosetta" | 4:39 |
7. | "Deep Deep Down Heart" | 4:34 |
8. | "Hand on My Back" | 5:14 |
9. | "The Blue Distance" | 5:04 |
10. | "Note on a Windshield" | 4:49 |
11. | "The Things That We Are Made Of" | 5:30 |
Total length: | 48:49 |
Spotify, iTunes and Apple Music bonus tracks [7]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "Between the Wars (Charleston 1937)" | 4:03 |
13. | "88 Constellations" | 5:00 |
Total length: | 57:52 |
Credits for The Things That We Are Made Of adapted from AllMusic. [8]
Musicians
Technical
Design
Chart (2016) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Albums (OCC) [9] | 47 |
UK Americana Albums (OCC) [10] | 3 |
US Billboard 200 [11] | 103 |
US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [12] | 8 |
US Folk Albums (Billboard) [13] | 3 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [14] | 4 |
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [15] | 42 |
Mary Chapin Carpenter is an American country and folk music singer-songwriter. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C.-area clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records. Carpenter's first album, 1987's Hometown Girl, did not produce any charting singles. She broke through with 1989's State of the Heart and 1990's Shooting Straight in the Dark.
Eamon McLoughlin is a musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. Primarily a fiddle player, he has toured and recorded with artists in the country music, bluegrass, and Americana fields. He holds the position of Staff Fiddle player at The Grand Ole Opry, working with a diverse range of artists including Vince Gill, Nina Simone, Carly Pearce, Oak Ridge Boys and many more. Eamon performs in the (separate) touring bands of Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. He also sings, plays mandolin, guitar, cello and viola, and can be seen performing regularly with The 50 Shades of Hay. He has received two Grammy nominations for Country Instrumental Performance as a founding member of the American bluegrass band The Greencards.
Come On Come On is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on June 30, 1992. It rose to No. 11 on the Billboard's Country Albums chart and No. 31 on the Billboard 200, with seven of its tracks reaching the Hot Country Songs chart: "I Feel Lucky", "Not Too Much to Ask", "Passionate Kisses", "The Hard Way", "The Bug", "He Thinks He'll Keep Her", and "I Take My Chances". "Passionate Kisses" also reached No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Shooting Straight in the Dark is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on October 9, 1990. It rose to No. 11 on the Billboard's Country Albums chart, with four of its tracks reaching the Hot Country Songs chart: "You Win Again", "Right Now", "Down at the Twist and Shout", and "Going Out Tonight".
Stones in the Road is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on October 4, 1994. It became Carpenter's first album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, and first album to reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 10. It also contains her first No. 1 Hot Country Singles hit, "Shut Up and Kiss Me", which also reached No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other charting singles were "Tender When I Want to Be", "House of Cards", and "Why Walk When You Can Fly?" at.
A Place in the World is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on October 22, 1996. It rose to No. 3 on the Billboard's Country Albums chart and No. 20 on the Billboard 200, with four of its tracks reaching the Hot Country Songs chart: "Let Me into Your Heart", "I Want to Be Your Girlfriend", and "Keeping the Faith".
Between Here and Gone is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Nashville on April 27, 2004. It reached No. 5 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, although the album itself produced no chart singles. The title track was written by Carpenter upon hearing of the death of singer-songwriter Dave Carter.
Michael Jason Isbell is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell has won four Grammy Awards.
The discography of American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter consists of 16 studio albums, four compilation albums, three video albums, 41 singles, 15 music videos, and 88 album appearances. After recording a demo tape, she was signed to Columbia Records in 1987 and released her debut studio album Hometown Girl (1987). In June 1989, Carpenter's second studio album State of the Heart was issued, which transitioned more towards country music. Among its four singles, both "Never Had It So Good" and "Quittin' Time" became top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart.
Time* Sex* Love* is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Nashville on May 29, 2001. It rose to No. 6 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and produced two singles: "Simple Life," which peaked at No. 53 on the Hot Country Songs chart, and "This Is Me Leaving You", which failed to chart. Despite its low airplay ranking, "Simple Life" spent 28 weeks on Billboard's Top 25 Country Singles Sales chart, peaking at No. 8 on May 5, 2001.
The Calling is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Zoë Records on March 6, 2007. Carpenter had previously been on Columbia Nashville, this being her first release after leaving Columbia and first studio album since 2004's Between Here and Gone. Like her previous album, she wrote every track on the album, and it rose to No. 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
The Age of Miracles is the 11th studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released on April 27, 2010 by Zoë Records, her third album released under the Zoë label.
Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas is the 10th studio album and first Christmas album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released on September 30, 2008 by Zoë Records, her second release under this label, and was produced by Carpenter and John Jennings.
Brent Cobb is an American country music singer-songwriter and artist. Cobb has released four studio albums and one EP. His most recent album, And Now, Let's Turn to Page..., was released on January 28, 2022. "Providence Canyon" was his second major-label LP with Low Country Sound, an imprint of Elektra. His previous album Shine On Rainy Day peaked at number 17 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. Cobb also received a 2018 Grammy Award nomination for this album. Cobb has written songs for a variety of country artists, including Luke Bryan, Kellie Pickler, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, The Oak Ridge Boys as well as many others.
Dave Cobb is a 9 time Grammy Award Winning American record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee, best known for producing the work of Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, John Prine, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, The Highwomen and Rival Sons.
Big Thief is an American indie folk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Its members are Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums).
By the Way, I Forgive You is the sixth studio album by Brandi Carlile, released on February 16, 2018. "The Joke" was released as the album's lead single. The album was co-produced by Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings. The album art is an original painting by Scott Avett. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album in 2019, as well being nominated for Album of the Year.
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Sometimes Just the Sky is a 15th studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Lambent Light Records on March 30, 2018. It features re-recorded songs from earlier in her career, with one track from each of her previous studio albums and a new title track. The album has received positive reviews from critics and was commercially successful, placing on several charts, and topping Official Americana Albums Chart in the United Kingdom.
Mary Chapin Carpenter exudes hard-won calm and wisdom on her 14th album, a set of gorgeous Americana tracks that serve as a memoir.