Multiplatinum recording star Vanessa Carlton is getting critical acclaim for a record she collaborated on with Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind, her former boyfriend. That sounds like a bittersweet victory, but she insists it's not like that.
"We're still friends and so very proud of this record because it's our child," says Carlton of her new Heroes and Thieves album. "I think this record was the whole reason we were together in the first place. In some ways, it was like the music was always most important, and in the end, that's probably why we evolved into being friends."
The singer/songwriter/pianist says The Inc./Universal Motown Records' release is her most introspective work yet.
"I'm 27 now, and the past year for me has brought up a lot of questions that come from evolving into a real woman, and the theme of the album is deciphering the heroes from the thieves in a very black-and-white way: What kind of life do I want to lead and carve out for myself? What kind of characters do I want to surround myself with?"
She adds, "I call my songs chapters, and the last chapter, More than This, talks about: What if we could declare right now that I don't need any more than I have - the person sitting next to me, the shoes on my feet, my dog, my career? If I just kind of declare that, in theory, I would experience this bliss. . . . Every song on the album involves those kinds of things."
Carlton just headed out on a limited four-week promo tour. She plans to "shoot the video for the second single Hands on Me in December, then next year, I'll take the band out and do a bigger tour." http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/spotlight/article/0,2777,DRMN_23952_5745141,00.htmlSecond single! here we go!