Taylor Swift’s New ‘Speak Now’ Nods to the Past, Shows New Path Forward
Taylor Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is a nod to one of life’s central truths: you can’t go back in time, but there are always new paths forward.
country pop
Hopelessly Devoted to Whom? Olivia Newton-John, Juliana Hatfield, and Me
In her tribute album, Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John, Hatfield gives us a direct line to the heady days of the ’80s and makes us wonder if shiny, electric blue lycra was really so bad.
Robert Ellis Looks Backward for Inspiration in ‘Yesterday’s News’
Robert Ellis’ Yesterday’s News is different from what came before. This is soft rock with a singer-songwriter edge. Just being cool can be its own reward.
Shania Twain Owns Herself on ‘Queen of Me’
Queen of Me is not as dominating as Shania Twain’s existing body of work, but it highlights a beloved household name getting to know herself better.
Jessica Willis Fisher on Reclaiming Her Voice Through Music and Memoir
Country music’s Jessica Willis Fisher discusses her new memoir Unspeakable: Surviving My Childhood and Finding My Voice and the process of healing trauma.
Seeing ‘Red’: Taylor Swift’s Professional Premonition at 10
Taylor Swift’s Red and its reissue Red (Taylor’s Version) realign the goals of pop music, making an album’s perceived imperfections the new standard.
Taylor Swift the Musician Became Taylor Swift the Institution on ‘Red’
In the ten years since Red‘s release, it’s easy to take for granted just how pivotal it was in solidifying the visage of Taylor Swift—the woman, the myth, and the machine.
The Williams Brothers’ ‘Memories to Burn’ Finds Life After 28 years
The Williams Brothers twins’ tight vocal harmonies evoke the past’s classic country pop sibling acts. Memories to Burn is finally released after decades.
Kelsea Ballerini Plays It Safe on ‘Subject to Change’
Kelsea Ballerini’s Subject to Change suggests another genre-bending, boundary-pushing country crossover record, but it’s her most conservative work to date.
Angel Olsen Creates Her Most Accessible Album with ‘Big Time’
With Big Time, Angel Olsen draws inspiration from some of popular music’s most perennial templates, revamping them and reinventing herself.
30 Years Ago Wynonna Found Her Voice and Sound on Her Self-Titled Debut
Wynonna captured country star Wynonna Judd’s specific brilliance wonderfully, so it’s no wonder she once called the debut solo EP her favorite.
CMAT’s Country Pop Debut Is a Fully-Formed Statement of Intent
CMAT’s If My Wife New I’d Be Dead is a fully formed debut, replete with big choruses, imaginative song ideas, and enough charm to carry the hour runtime.