By Annie Sarlin, Staff Writer
After her recent performance of the “Church and State” song on Saturday Night Live, it seems only fitting to break down Brandi Carlile’s powerful new release “Church and State” for our Pick of the Week.
Carlile Comes Back
In October, singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile released her eighth album, Returning to Myself, her first solo record since 2021. Along with the record, Carlille released audio commentary tracks, providing an interesting behind-the-scenes look into the context behind each song on the album.
In the explanation for “Church and State,” she described writing this song on Election Night of 2024. Given the song’s political messaging, the event certainly impacted her lyrics.
A Lyrical Revolution
Following a bass-driven intro, Carlille sings about her distress watching an empire fall while away from home. Through lyrics such as “ the blackness slowly parted” and “a thousand sirens wailing,” she creates a vivid picture of a bleak situation.
While the song begins on a somber note, she quickly counters this message with a hopeful outlook for the future. In the chorus, Carlille reassures listeners that the corrupt leaders causing this destruction are “not gonna live forever.”
As she sings “we believe” and “we will find a way,” Carlille carries a sort of revolutionary cry, encouraging audiences disheartened by the current political climate to keep up morale.
In the middle of the song, the singer ditches the traditional bridge for a spoken word address. During this section, Carlille maintains the song’s political themes by reciting a passage from Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists.
80’s Influences
In “Church and State,” Carlille introduces a rock sound uncommon in her discography. When I first heard the distorted bass tone, reverb-riddled guitar riffs, and vibrating vocals, I thought it sounded familiar. Upon re-listening, I realized that the song reminded me of U2. After reading her interview with Variety, I learned that this was a deliberate choice. As she described in the article, the band’s Joshua Tree was a childhood favorite, and she once even entered a singing competition dressed as Bono. Carlille pulls off this new genre well, and the upbeat tempo and harder groove give this song the feel of a fight for justice that the lyrics suggest.
What’s Next?
In 2026, Carlille will embark on “The Human Tour,” including a stop at TD Garden on February 12th.
