Album Spotlight: Ashley McBryde - Girl Going Nowhere

Ashley McBryde's latest album Girl Going Nowhere has a lot to like. There is some straight up country, some Americana (however the hell you want to define that), some heartland rock (mid 80s style) and some swamp.

The lyrics on the album are chock full of personal stories, imagery, and nostalgia. Lyrics are for each listener to interpret for themself, which is why I rarely go in depth on that front. For me, the lyrics are irrelevant until the music grabs me.

Speaking of the music, Girl Going Nowhere is a collection of 11 very well crafted songs, both instrumentally and lyrically. "Radioland" is a fun. nostalgic, John Mellencamp-type heartland rocker. "Southern Babylon" is dark and swampy and something I'm sure prime Tanya Tucker would have been eager to record. If I did "Song of the Year" type stuff, this song would be the early frontrunner.

There is a cool Tom Petty vibe on "The Jacket", which is another nostalgia song. I don't know, but I hope "Livin' Next To Leroy" is based on a true story, even if not McBryde personally. This song is also the closest McBryde comes to Southern rock. Especially that guitar solo, which I'll get back to later.

"A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega" is simply a great country song. As is "Tired of Being Happy", which has the added bonus of a great play on words. Self-deprecating and clever lyrics.

The songs and songwriting on this album are exquisite. I need to see Ashley McBryde live, because I think all the songs would pop. My thing on this blog is to promote stuff I like, so you won't see very much criticism here, but there is one element on this album that warrants it.

While I appreciate that the vocals are up in the mix (I hate when I can't understand the vocals), the instrumentation is buried on this album. That solo on "Livin' Next To Leroy" should have been brought way up in the mix. And that's not the only one.

I don't know who in the camp was scared, but someone was and it hurts the album as a listening experience. Fortunately, the quality of the songs overcome the poor mixing judgement.

Anyway, here is my favorite song:

New Music Found: Crystal Shawanda

Crystal Shawanda grew up in Ontario, Canada on a reservation. You can read her bio on her official webpage. What I want to focus on is her music and incredible voice.

Her 2014 album The Whole World's Got The Blues saw her turn away from the country music of her first record, and she truly found her place. Her voice, to me, sounds like a cross between Tanya Tucker and Bonnie Raitt with a touch of Aretha for power.

The  soul-inspired, country-tinged blues rock music is the perfect bed for her vocals to lie.

Here's a live version of the song "The Whole World's Got The Blues". Enjoy.

Artist Spotlight: Maggie Rose

I must have been hiding under a rock not to find this gem until now, but Maggie Rose's Cut to Impress is a fantastic album. Released in early 2013, it's now almost a year and a half old, but better late to the party than to let it pass you by altogether.

Billed as country, I think it is now a fool's game to try to pigeonhole anything but the most obvious. While there is plenty of country throughout the record, there are also hints of funk, rock, R&B and obviously pop. Cut to Impress keeps you interested for the entirety of the album with a lot of unpredictability. After the first three cuts, I was waiting to see what style would come next.

Maggie Rose does not possess the greatest vocal chops, but her delivery is very believable no matter if singing about murder or love or heartbreak or lust.

One thing that stands out is the storytelling on a number of tracks. The storytelling aspect has almost become a lost art. This is especially prevalent on the first track, "Preacher's Daughter" and the latest single "Looking Back Now".

I've listened to entire record several times, but "Preacher's Daughter" keeps drawing me back. It's swampy and dark in the vein of Warrant's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" or Tanya Tucker's "Blackwater Bayou" or "The Night that the Lights Went Out in Georgia". Here is a live recording of that song.

Maggie Rose: Cut To Impress on Amazon

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