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Non-Prog CD Reviews

Sarah Burton

Swoonville, USA

Review by Gary Hill

I previously reviewed another set from this act. I said that the release had some strong music, but that there wasn't enough variety, making it feel a little samey at times. I thought that perhaps it would have been a stronger set if a few songs had been pulled. Well, this does not suffer from any of those problems. This disc ranges from country leaning music to pop rock and more. It never feels redundant or tired. There are some songs here that really shine as pure magic. Yet nothing feels like it should have been left off. If you like strong music with a lot of roots and classic sound built into it, but also innovation, this would be well worth your time.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024  Volume 4. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.

Track by Track Review
Oklahoma
Starting acapella, this track works out after a time to an energetic country rocker with a lot of style. It's leans more on old-school country styings, but it's also modern in some ways, too. It's catchy, meaty and strong. The guitar solo brings some real rocking sound.
Might As Well Be Loved

Musically this is more of a bouncy, pop-rocker. Some slide guitar lends some country, but the twang on the vocals particularly brings that element to play. This is fun, but not as strong as the opener.

Sorry

More of a folk meet pop-rock number, this has a lot of charm and style. It's less country than the two preceding tunes. It has some great hooks and a lot of magic. It also features heart-felt lyrics. It gets more rocking later and that really elevates it even more. This is one of the highlights of the set for me.

I Missed Your Birthday

Country and rock merge nicely on this energetic tune. It's fun, but not as strong as the song that came before. It definitely leans more on the rock side than the country angle.

Worth Sticking Around For

This has more country and folk in the mix than anything else. It does rock out at times, though. While I like this one, I'd say that it's not quite as strong as some of the rest.

Montana

The organ lends some retro texture to this. It's sort of a folk rock meets country number. It has its charms, but it's not a standout for me. The retro, echoey guitar sound is a nice touch, though.

Not Against Falling in Love

Much more of a classic sounding pop rock tune, this works so well. It has a timeless quality to it, some great hooks and a lot of magic and style. This is another highlight of the set.

OMG L'Amour

This rock and roller features lyrics in French. I'm reminded of Blondie in some ways. That's not an expected connection here. This is a real gem and another of my favorites here.

Not Afraid of a Broken Heart

Starting more stripped back, this eventually grows out to more of a classic rock vibe. This has some classical strings in the mix. It's more of an alternative or even Goth rock song than it is country based. It's also classy and lends some real variety to the set.

Sunnyside

Another rocker, this is classy stuff. I really dig the bass sound on it. There are some classic sounding hooks at play, too.

 
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