Nancy Carey Johnson is a writer, singer and songwriter from Vermont, in the USA, who’s just released her debut album Chaos & Grace last year. After that lifelong dream finally came true, she was able to show the world all of her musical talents with a very comforting and sometimes chaotic debut album, firmly rooted in americana and filled with country and indie rock influences. Chaos & Grace was produced by Nancy alongside musician Bill Kaman, showcasing a wide variety of musical styles and genres fusing together into one marvelous and noteworthy experience.
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“Note from God”, the second on the album’s tracklist, is a left turn from soft oldchool americana opener “Roll” and brings a very tasteful rock and roll attitude – both in lyrics as well as in production. “Note from God” tells the tale of a former lover who’s been trying to ease their way back into her life only to get shut down mercilessly, but with grace and class. It marks the first time on the record that we get to see a little bit of that side of her, and it sounds absolutely stunning.
The way Nancy incorporates early 90s indie rock elements into her own brand of americana is absolutely refreshing, and the sarcasm is abundant and extremely well placed. “Note from God” would not sound out of place in an early Pixies record, and that’s saying something. The sounds explored by Nancy over distorted guitars and the classic quiet-loud-quiet dynamics would definitely make Frank Black proud in their candid and raw emotional feelings. It is basically a graceful way of telling someone to go to Hell and that you don’t want to see them ever again – and it’s so fun!
Another incredible highlight that comes from Chaos & Grace is the ballad “Birthday Cake for Breakfast”, that truly feels like freshly baked goods in the morning. It’s a delicate song, about a tender and hurtful heartbreak and paints an incredibly detailed story on the verses. On “Birthday Cake for Breakfast”, Nancy sings about the devastating feeling of being unable to move on from someone you loved, and still love, after they decided to leave; it’s about the depression and void that said person left in your life.
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With heartbreaking vivid imagery of trying to date someone new again unsuccessfully and having your parents worried about your health, Nancy writes a song like no other. The production is a soft country ballad with acoustic instruments and wonderful melodies, filled with such richness that comes from slide guitars and strings that works perfectly with the softness and pain on Nancy’s voice. This is the type of song that cements people as masterful songwriters, and Nancy is definitely it.
Nancy Carey Johnson brought forth a masterpiece of an album on Chaos & Grace, showing her marvelous skills as a storyteller with an angelic voice. These specific tracks highlighted serve as the perfect way to illustrate all of her talent at once; or at twice, actually. Nancy fulfilled her dream in making an album, and I can’t wait to hear more from her – such talent with words and melodies does not come very often and should be dearly appreciated when it does.
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You can find it in the following Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Fresh Singles, Indie Only, Female Rising Stars, 12 New Songs This Week, Chill – Folk – Acoustic, Debut Bands (Off The Radar), and Unknown but Essentials!
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the center didn’t hold