| The Dirt and the Stars | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 7, 2020 | |||
| Recorded | January–February 2020 [1] | |||
| Studio | Real World Studios, Box, Wiltshire, England | |||
| Genre | [2] | |||
| Length | 58:29 (standard edition) 67:23 (with bonus tracks) | |||
| Label | Lambent Light Records | |||
| Producer | Ethan Johns | |||
| Mary Chapin Carpenter chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Dirt and the Stars is the 16th studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Lambent Light Records on August 7, 2020. [3]
In a press release, Carpenter described the songs on the album as "very personal" and "difficult in some ways, and definitely come from places of pain and self-illumination, but also places of joy, discovery and the rewards of self- knowledge." She wrote the album at her Virginia farmhouse and recorded it at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios near Bath, England [4] between January and February 2020 prior to lockdowns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. [1]
Bob Paxman of Sounds of Nashville gave The Dirt and the Stars a positive review, praising Carpenter for her ability to "[get] her message across with lyrical passages that could easily pass for straight poetry" and the album's cohesiveness that allows the songs to "build with nice opening sequences". [5] Thom Jurek of AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars, highlighting the use of Carpenter's "empathic" band to "erase all boundaries between singer and song", and describing it as one of her standout albums from her entire repertoire. [6] Sam Sodomsky of Pitchfork was similarly positive, giving the album a 7.7 out of 10. He wrote: "Three decades into her career, one of country music’s most reliable and empathetic songwriters offers a profoundly intimate record, full of hushed revelations." [7]
All tracks are written by Mary Chapin Carpenter
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Farther Along and Further In" | 4:57 |
| 2. | "It's Ok to be Sad" | 5:05 |
| 3. | "All Broken Hearts Break Differently" | 4:42 |
| 4. | "Old D-35" | 5:55 |
| 5. | "American Stooge" | 6:05 |
| 6. | "Where the Beauty Is" | 3:51 |
| 7. | "Nocturne" | 6:16 |
| 8. | "Secret Keepers" | 3:23 |
| 9. | "Asking for a Friend" | 5:13 |
| 10. | "Everybody's Got Something" | 5:19 |
| 11. | "Between the Dirt and the Stars" | 7:43 |
| Total length: | 58:29 | |
Vinyl-only bonus tracks [8]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Traveler's Prayer" | 5:09 |
| 13. | "Our Man Walter Cronkite" | 3:45 |
| Total length: | 67:23 | |
Spotify, iTunes and Apple Music bonus tracks [9]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Our Man Walter Cronkite" | 3:44 |
| 13. | "Traveler's Prayer" | 5:09 |
| Total length: | 67:23 | |
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [10] | 43 |
| US Folk Albums (Billboard) [11] | 6 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [12] | 35 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [13] | 14 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [14] | 7 |
| UK Americana Albums (OCC) [15] | 2 |
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.
Long Stretch of Lonesome is the ninth studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless, released on September 30, 1997. Three singles charted in the top 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Highlights are "High on Love," "To Have You Back Again" and the George Jones-backed "You Don't Seem to Miss Me," each of which both charted in the top 20. "High on Love" was co-written by Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The single "Like Water Into Wine" charted at number 57, the first of Loveless' singles since 1986 to not chart in the country top 40. The album went on to be certified Gold for shipments of over 500,000 copies in the U.S.
Sweetheart's Dance is the fourth studio album by American country music singer Pam Tillis, released on April 26, 1994, via Arista Records. It is her highest ranking album on the Billboard charts, at number 6.
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.
State of the Heart is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on June 13, 1989.
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".
Greatest Hits is a 1997 compilation album from American country music artist Pam Tillis. The album reached #6 on the Billboard country albums charts. It chronicles her greatest hits from her first four albums for Arista Nashville. The tracks "Land of the Living" and "All the Good Ones Are Gone" are new to this compilation. Both were released as singles, reaching Top Five on the Hot Country Songs charts in 1997. The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over 1,000,000 copies in the U.S. This was the last of her albums to receive certification in sales. "Land of the Living" would also be Pam's last top 10 appearance in the Country Singles Charts.
Thinkin' About You is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Trisha Yearwood. The album reached #3 on the Billboard country albums chart.
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.
Love on the Inside is the third studio album by American country music duo Sugarland, first released on July 22, 2008, as a Deluxe Fan Edition, including five bonus tracks, with the standard edition one week later, on July 29, on Mercury Nashville Records. The album has produced three chart singles in "All I Want to Do", "Already Gone" and "It Happens", all number one hits on the Billboard country singles charts. The fourth single, "Joey", reached Top 20. The release of the fifth single "Keep You" was cancelled. It is also the first album of the duo's career to reach Number One on Top Country Albums and The Billboard Top 200. The album has been certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA with sales of over 2 million copies in the United States.
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.
End Times is the eighth studio album by American rock band Eels released on January 19, 2010. End Times is the second in a trilogy of concept albums starting with 2009's Hombre Lobo and finishing with Tomorrow Morning, released later in 2010.
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.
"Tender When I Want to Be" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in December 1994 as the second single from her album Stones in the Road. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in February 1995.
"I Feel Lucky" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in May 1992 as the first single from the album Come On Come On. The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The Chipettes recorded a cover of this song for the 1992 album Chipmunks in Low Places. It was written by Carpenter and Don Schlitz.
"Almost Home" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in April 1999 as the first single from her compilation album, Party Doll and Other Favorites. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and is her last Top 40 country hit.
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.
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.
