Photo by Heather Byington
Utne Reader is proud to premiere the song “The Far End of the World” by Brian Carpenter and The Confessions from their new album, out October 2.
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brian Carpenter has collaborated with many well-known musicians and bands over the years, operating on the avant-garde fringe of jazz and Americana. His debut album with The Confessions is a further exploration into the darker side of Americana that would be a fitting soundtrack to an episode of True Detective or a David Lynch film. True to Carpenter’s avant-garde nature, the album frames sung lyrics and beautiful melodies with layered ambiance that makes for an unpredictable, but fascinating listen.
Of the title track “The Far End of the World,” Carpenter offers this explanation:
“I was coming out of a rough period of separation and DJing radio shows on Friday evenings at WZBC Boston College. I’ve found DJing at night on the radio to be a very lonely endeavor. You’re the lighthouse keeper except you’re not saving lives. You’re the only one there and you’re broadcasting out, but is anybody listening? I’m usually playing songs that have some meaning to me or what I’m going through. But there is no good feedback to tell you if anyone is on the other end except for that rare phone call from the insane person. So I guess that’s where all the radio language comes from, i.e. ‘If you’re still out there, I’ll play it for you.’ It’s all part of that feeling of separation.”
Here’s the premiere of “The Far End of the World,” from the album The Far End of the World, out October 2 on Accurate Records: