Maren Morris’ ‘GIRL’
Breaking conventions with womanly fun
The title of Maren Morris’ new album GIRL is appropriately written in capital letters. The story of her career, it seems, is being written in capital letters, marking her as a fresh and feisty rising female face in country music.
The young rising star has been an industry fighter from the beginning, self-releasing her first EP in 2015 before being signed by Columbia Nashville. Soon after, she released her first full-length album Hero, a collection of twangy hits like “My Church” and “80’s Mercedes.” A few collaborations with other country stars and pop artists further rocketed her to fame –– She even earned a few Grammy nominations for her infectiously catchy Zedd feature “The Middle.”
Despite her fondness for duets (there are two more on GIRL), Morris is fearlessly pursuing her own sound as she releases more and more praiseworthy work. GIRL blends a a kind of toughness and edgy sound experimentation with soft feminine tunes that sound like summer crushes and hometown nostalgia. It’s a cacophony of country and girly rock-n-roll and pop ballads all rolled into one work that somehow still seems cohesive.
The album’s titular track and its accompanying music video is a testament to the various battles women march into day after day. It’s a nod to justified female anger, but also a ballad of encouragement. It has Miranda Lambert kind of hardness to it, but it takes that proverbial womanly craziness and refines it, making it thoughtful and poetic and perfectly legitimized.
Other highlights on the album include “Make Out With Me,” a short and sexy piano ballad that tells a tale of desire in a grounded, human way. “The Bones” is another tribute to resilience with a rocking beat, and “A Song For Everything” has a relatability to it without seeming trite.
Morris is versatile, with a strong yet comforting voice, and her fearless pursuit of stylistic experimentation will undoubtedly set her apart as another emerging female voice in male-dominated country music. GIRL is a women’s perfume-scented breath of fresh air and a perfect soundtrack for falling in love with people, places and self.
