For years, distinctions within the country genre, more specifically the women within this tightknit industry, have gone to artists who represent one of three dimensions.
On one hand, artists like Carrie Underwood, who represent the type of fiery, earth-shattering ballads and stompers that resonate with mainstream fans, enjoy the type of multifaceted critic and radio wave success necessary to become a household name.
On the other side, artists who represent a certain sense of acoustically-driven retro nostalgia, like Kacey Musgraves, are able to draw on successes from mastery over lyrical and compositional structures. For artists like Miranda Lambert, who are somehow able to successfully teeter between the two, this success becomes much more representative of an inalienability to represent the country genre as a whole.
This is the place we find Maren Morris. At age 25, Morris’ career seems ready to break through. With a sound that leans towards Musgraves’ simplicity, paired with a style that is more rambunctiously loud, Morris’ self-titled EP hopes to present the type of Lambert-dimensionality that could find her among country music’s greatest.
Overall, the resulting release is less than spectacular, but ultimately worthy of joining some of the genre’s newer singers. Like fellow newbie Cam, Morris’ debut release is undeniably a first showing with the need for expansion. While listenable with all of the pleasant moments necessary to draw in smaller numbers of fans, Morris’ ability to showcase her talent would be far better suited with a whole LP, rather than a short extended play.
On tracks like “My Church” and “Company You Keep,” Morris is able to showcase a possible direction that resembles, but is ultimately individual, of previous artists’ styles. Like Lambert’s most recent album, the lyrical composition of “My Church” and “Company You Keep” are impressive and compelling. By painting a story that is reflective to listeners, Morris is able to show just how much potential she holds as a creative mind.
“Drunk Girls Don’t Cry,” is the EP’s best track. If not simply for its groovier sound, then for the likeability of Morris’ vocal prowess thst help make what could have been a fundamentally basic track something that is both fun and upbeat. Lacking all of the downtrodden emotions typically associated with the content of the track, Morris represents an artist who wants to make moves towards originality, rather than generality.
For the past few years, the music industry has made attempts to establish even more, new female country singers. From Cam to Kelsey Ballerini, it can feel that each week the next big name is thrown out with the hopes of it landing. While these artists have been greeted with some fair successes, the possibility of over saturating the genre just as “bro-country” will surely do, is something that producers should be fearful of. As a start, Morris’debut release is personable and interesting enough to hold on to the attention of genre fans.
Rating: 3 out of 5
