Opening her new album with the stark and almost eerie refrain of ‘I’m gonna run’ you might think this is going to be an album of darkness, especially after Ashley Monroe’s recent experience of cancer. However from that opening song on ‘Tennessee Lighting’ we hear a different story – she’s looking not to share her... Continue Reading →
Opening her new album with the stark and almost eerie refrain of ‘I’m gonna run’ you might think this is going to be an album of darkness, especially after Ashley Monroe’s recent experience of cancer.
However from that opening song on ‘Tennessee Lighting’ we hear a different story – she’s looking not to share her suffering but to escape from the pain and search for love.
We then head to ‘Risen Road’, a song which cleverly weaves faith and prayer with other forms of getting high. Her advice to anyone going through it? Either pray or steal some pain pills – whatever you need to get that release. Her voice sounds as good as ever, the music a nice mix of lush indie pop and Americana. ‘Closer’ echoes the style of her previous album Rosegold, in its rich textured sound and its lyrics of longing and lust.
After moving away from the country music genre on her last two albums, ‘The Touch’ (written with and featuring Marty Stuart) makes a welcome shift back towards that sound with a twangy guitar playing throughout. A simple love song takes on extra meaning after she’s ’been through so much’. On ‘Magnolia’ we have her dreaming of the south, with a nod towards Bobbie Gentry in sound and style. Another country music legend appears on the writing credits of ‘My Favourite Movie’ in the form of Vince Gill, and this one is as gorgeous a country love song as anything that appeared on her first two albums.
After that central section the second half of the album veers off into different directions. Early single ‘Hot Rod Pipe Dream’ is a fun rock song about a car, even if it feels a little throwaway. There’s a soulful, r’n’b vibe to ‘Bitter Swisher Sweet’ featuring Brittney Spencer. Equally intriguing is ‘Moth’ which slows things down, exploring attraction of the wrong kind.
Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town offers support on the song ‘Recover’, which hints at how pain can become a transformative experience. We then go into the stunning piano ballad ‘There You Are’ honouring the love that has helped her through.
Of the three covers on the album the most affecting is the final song, a gospel number ‘Jesus Hold My Hand’ which Ashley would sing to comfort herself during her worst times. On this simple, honest and heartfelt song she sounds like she’s found the musical catharsis she’s been searching for.
Across the seventeen tracks on ‘Tennessee Lightning’ we hear the sound of an artist experimenting with who she could be, relishing the chance to seek out new (and old) versions of her musical self. Ashley’s gorgeous voice and the quality of the music means that the album is a sharp and sparky listen from one of the brightest singers we have.
For more info on the album & her UK tour dates: https://www.ashleymonroe.com
