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Reviews

Album Review: Ashley Monroe–Sparrow

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Rating: 6.5/10

If any of you know me at all, you know I am an unashamed Ashley Monroe apologist and have been looking forward to new music from her almost since The Blade. With the release of the first single, “Hands on You,” came mixed feelings–I enjoyed the single, but I was hesitant about the more polished direction Monroe took sonically. I haven’t been overly impressed with any of the other pre-released tracks either, and what once was promising to be a great release was becoming a worrying one.

After several listens with this thing? Honestly, this is probably the most conflicted and divided I’ve been with myself about a project in a long while.

Monroe cites “good therapy” as being largely responsible for this record. She says that she finally chose to properly deal with the loss of her father at thirteen and what that was like for her family. That’s certainly evident from the opening lines of this album, as “Orphan” begins with the line from which the title of the album was inspired–“How does the sparrow know more than I? When a mother is gone, it learns how to fly.” “Orphan” is a ridiculous opener and one of the best songs of the year–and as for that polish which traditionally hasn’t been a Monroe characteristic, it actually works to perfection here, with elegant strings and piano accentuating the vocals and the story.

Monroe’s father comes up several more times on this album, often in its strongest moments. “Daddy I Told You” is another standout, again featuring some very tasteful piano and letting him know that she kept his name and still loves him. This one is just the kind of honest, thoughtful expression of emotion which defines country music. If I get asked to define it again anytime soon, I’m just going to cite this song. “Mother’s Daughter” is another track that echoes with the memories of her dad, as she sings about once being her father’s daughter but now having become more like her mother in his absence, or as the song says, “now that he’s no longer.” Sonically, this one is similar to something like “From Time to Time” from Ashley’s last album, and this one feels like a moment where the more polished sound works to her advantage.

Sensuality is also an important part of this record. I’m not sure how that plays into the therapeutic aspect of it for Monroe, but there is something liberating about the presence of both “Hands on You” and “Wild Love” here. This is the country genre, where women aren’t allowed to speak about desire at all, much less in this way, with lines like “pull my hair and call my name” (Wild Love”) and “I wish I’d have pushed you against the wall, locked the door in a bathroom stall” (“Hands on You.”) It’s not really apparent how little women actually sing about desire in country until you are presented with it here, and that shouldn’t be such a rare and shocking thing. I congratulated Shinyribs last year on introducing foot worship to country music; now I’d like to extend the same congratulations to Ashley Monroe for releasing these scandalous lines out into the world and especially on a major label.

I will say that while they both add value as individual songs, these two could have done with different melodies and production. “Wild Love” was released after “Hands on You,” and it’s the same tempo, same key, even the same strings in the background doing some of the same runs. I feel as if I’d have enjoyed “Wild Love” more if it had been released first, just as I enjoy “Hands on You” more currently. It’s intriguing because both of them stand well on their own, but they are so similar musically that they take away from one another on the album.

The major issue with this record can be boiled down to that incessant polish, and I hate to criticize him twice in a week, but Dave Cobb strikes again here. It’s not that Cobb did a bad job here, as the string sections and piano all over this album are generally really beautiful, even adding to some of the songs I’ve mentioned. They also work really well in “Hard on a Heart,” another of the standouts on the record. And Monroe said she wanted to work with him and wanted a countrypolitan feel on this album, so this problem has to do with her vision more than Cobb actually screwing it up.

but Dave Cobb is a terrible producer for Ashley Monroe. Vince Gill was a much better one, even on The Blade, where there was more polish than her previous records. The Blade still kept her personality, her emotion, that traditional voice as the focal points. With Sparrow, you’re often too drawn in or too distracted, depending on the song, by these orchestral arrangements to fully appreciate the words of Ashley Monroe. And it’s a shame because this is supposed to be the most personal record for Monroe to date–but instead of letting us in like Kacey Musgraves managed to do on her album, it feels like Monroe holds us at arm’s length, not quite letting us into the unique headspace she was in when she wrote these songs but rather staying in her own private moment. Her vulnerability is masked by cellos and piano and general overproduction. “Paying attention” is absolutely ruined by production; lyrically, that’s a great heartbreak song and one that Ashley could nail vocally, but she’s fighting to be heard over everything else so that she’s not even on pitch all the time. She also has pitch issues in “She Wakes me Up,” another ridiculously cluttered affair, and it’s not a coincidence. Ashley Monroe is one of the most gifted country vocalists around, but she’s being drowned out by all this until both her emotional delivery and her technical performance are suffering. It renders some songs boring and lifeless, some of which might have been better had Monroe and her lyrics been allowed to shine more. I mean, I don’t think “Rita” could have been helped by anything, as that’s definitely the most boring track Ashley has ever released, but it’s the exception here, and the point still stands.

I wanted to like this more than I do, and as many issues as I have with this album, I probably do enjoy it more than my words may imply. The standouts I have listed are just that–they’re not the few tolerable or decent tracks on an otherwise terrible record, they’re gems that stand as proud additions to Ashley Monroe’s discography. A brilliant song like “Orphan” proves that this more polished, countrypolitan style can work for Monroe at times, and it’s a song like that which really makes the boring, overproduced filler on this record all the more disheartening. Overall, this style doesn’t suit Monroe, and especially not on what’s meant to be a personal, intimate record. Here’s hoping Vince Gill will come back to produce her next project. Cherry-picking is not something I normally condone, but it’s appropriate here because this album has some treasures; unfortunately, they’re mixed in with filler, and more importantly, I don’t see this record making new Ashley Monroe fans. For those like me, already unapologetic fans, it does have the potential to grow–the problems are less with Ashley herself and more with the style–but I don’t see Sparrow being a defining record for her, even if it symbolizes a defining moment for Monroe personally.

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Random Reflections

Reflecting on: The Definitive Collection: Don Williams

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Friday’s Gentle Giants tribute album to Don Williams has inspired me to go back and search through his discography. I know Brianna did a Greatest Hits collection last week, but this is honestly one of the best examples of his music that is also easily accessible–many of his original albums can’t be streamed, and hopefully, hearing this one will inspire you to dig further into his albums anyway. His music is some of the first exposure to older country that I ever had growing up, and it’s some I still come back to, and for good reason.

Release Date: 2004
Style: mostly countrypolitan/the Nashville sound, some more traditional country as well
Who Might Like This Album: fans of Ronnie Milsap, fans of Sam Outlaw, fans of softer country, love songs, and heartbreak ballads
Standout Tracks: “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend,” “If Hollywood Don’t Need You,” Lord, I Hope This Day is Good,” “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “Come Early Morning,” “I’m Just a Country Boy,” “She Never Knew Me”
Reflections: You might think Sam Outlaw is an odd reference to make when referring to a classic country singer like Don Williams, but it’s the Nashville sound that Outlaw has modernized which Williams helped to make popular in the 70’s and 80’s; he wasn’t an outlaw like Merle or Willie, and his brand of country, although sprinkled with traditional songs, leans more toward the pop country of that time–which just shows you how far the term pop country has slipped, and also that it wasn’t always synonymous with crap. There’s a reason he is called “gentle giant,”–that unmistakable bass voice is known best for love songs like “I Believe in You” and heartbreak songs like “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” than anything else. This album, and really all Don Williams music, is an easy listen. It just puts you in a good mood. It’s relaxing and simple, and it reminds you that it didn’t take grit to make timeless music.

There’s a sincerity and depth of emotion in these songs that’s hard to come by in today’s writing, and “gentle” is also the right word to describe the voice of Don Williams. I mentioned simplicity, and it shines through on “Lord, I Hope This Day is Good,” a little prayer for just that, a good day in the midst of struggle, and “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” a song that reminds you you can sing about growing up in the South without it being one giant cliché. He can share sentiments like “If Hollywood don’t need you, honey, I still do” from my personal favorite Don Williams song, or “most of all, you’re my best friend” and have them come off as sincere rather than cheesy. It could be the bass voice or simply the way you believe the words, but Don Williams has a way of selling these types of songs that would perhaps otherwise come off too sappy. I keep coming back to that word, “gentle,” which seems to describe his voice, his style, and his songs. As I said, it’s a nice, easy listen. Start with this, and work your way through his music. I have yet to find a bad Don Williams song.

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Reviews

Album Review: Sam Outlaw–Angeleno

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Rating: 9/10

Earlier this year, before the existence of this blog, several albums came out that are definitely worth reviewing. This is true in the case of Sam Outlaw, whose debut album came out in June. While the album, Angeleno, falls short of being a ten for me, it is still one of the better albums of the year, and definitely one of the most unique. For its uniqueness alone, it should not be overlooked. With a name like Sam Outlaw, one would expect outlaw country music, or at least an attempt at outlaw country, but instead this is more of the Nashville sound that came before outlaw country. (Outlaw chose this name because it was his late mother’s maiden name.) But I feel many people are probably turned off by the name alone, and if so, you have been missing some great music.

The album opens with “Who Do You Think You Are,” a mid-tempo love song featuring horns and acoustic guitars. It’s pretty good, but I’m not sure if it would hold my attention if this was the first song I heard from Sam Outlaw (it wasn’t.) Having said that, there’s nothing wrong with it either. Next is “Keep It Interesting,” another mid-tempo song which does hold my attention and is about a couple keeping their love alive by “Keeping it interesting.” And yes, by “it” I do mean sex. You can argue that “keeping it interesting” might mean several things, but I think the intent was sex. Evidence for this includes lines like “Your mama and your daddy might think it’s a sin.” This is a refreshing song that is one of my favorites on the album. Next is “I’m not Jealous,” an interesting take on a cheating song in which he tells the cheating woman, “I’m not jealous of them, I’m embarrassed for you.”” Love Her For Awhile” is the first song I heard from Sam Outlaw, and it’s hard to say what caught my attention about it. It’s very much a case of less is more. It’s a simple little song about not really being able to explain the feelings he has, but somehow knowing that he’ll “love her for awhile.” There is something very honest about this song that made me wonder who sang it, and when I found out it was Sam Outlaw, a name I’d heard but basically ignored, I went looking for his music.

The title track is a love song with a western feel that tells a story. It’s a good love song and tells a great story, but on an album of love songs, it doesn’t stand out for this listener as much as the others. By contrast, “Country Love Song” is one of the best love songs on the album. Here, Outlaw is on the road and wondering if a woman back home will still love him as much as she used to when he finally returns. He says, “I wish that I could send you a country love song.” Again, there is honesty in this song that really helps it. Next is “Ghost Town,” and if you only listen to one Sam Outlaw song, make it this. This is one of the best songs of the year. From the instrumentation to the melody to the lyrics to the vocals, I can’t do it justice in words. It’s about a man returning home and traveling through ghost towns, and through excellent pictures, we are told the story of both the narrator and the towns. This is country at its best.

Next is a drinking song called “Jesus, Take the Wheel (And Drive me to a Bar).” It’s not bad as drinking songs go, but I could have done without it. “It Might Kill Me” is a great heartbreak song in which his friends are telling him the pain will get better. In response, Sam Outlaw sings, “If it don’t kill you, it just makes you better. It might kill me, it might.” The instrumentation in this song is excellent, featuring a great balance of steel guitar. “Keep a Close Eye On Me” finds Sam asking God to watch over him and make him into a better person. “Oh, Lord, keep a close eye on me” is an excellent line.

“Old-Fashioned” speaks of a kind of love that is less common in today’s culture. This love is the kind where men and women stand by each other and help each other. I like the sentiment of this song, but I felt it needed more lyrics. After two short verses, we are left with really nice instrumentation, but I kept waiting for an end to the song that never came. Angeleno closes with the simple heartbreak song “Hole Down in My Heart,” the first upbeat song on the entire album. It sticks out like a sore thumb among the slow and mid-tempo songs before it, and I think it should have been balanced by another upbeat song. Instead of showing variety, the lone track feels like it was thrown in on the end and doesn’t go well with the rest of the album.

Overall, Angeleno is a great listen and showcases the Nashville sound at its best. If “Hole Down in My Heart” and “Jesus, Take the Wheel (and Drive me To a Bar)” were removed, this album would be a ten. This album is one of the most unique releases of 2015 and features some of the best songwriting of the year. Don’t ignore this album because of the name Sam Outlaw.

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