Overview
- The 10-song album arrived Oct. 24 with reflective material on aging and family, and features the civic-minded rocker “Church & State” quoting Thomas Jefferson’s 1802 letter.
- Carlile developed the title track from a poem she wrote alone in Aaron Dessner’s upstate barn, with production contributions from Dessner, Justin Vernon, Andrew Watt, and longtime partners Tim and Phil Hanseroth.
- Rolling Stone praised the record as frequently moving and her finest since her 2018 breakthrough, while noting uneven moments on “Joni” and “Church & State.”
- Carlile said Joni Mitchell reacted to the tribute song “Joni” with a teasing rebuke, and she credited Elton John with pushing her to include “You Without Me.”
- Promotion includes a Nov. 1 Saturday Night Live performance, a Nov. 8 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame appearance airing live on Disney+, and a North American arena tour starting Feb. 10 in Philadelphia with The Head & The Heart, with tickets on sale Oct. 31.