GIRL

Maren Morris is redesigning the future of Country music by releasing an album that follows her own rules and no one else’s. Maren’s sophomore album GIRL was a highly anticipated release in Country Music. After Maren’s previous debut album HERO which sky rocketed her career, fans were eager to see where the star would take her career next. HERO earned Maren a Grammy, CMA, and many other notable career milestones. Since HERO, Maren ventured out of Country Music with her career blazing collaboration with ZEDD “The Middle”. Following recognition for that Billboard Hit she toured and collaborated with former One Direction member Niall Horan. All eyes were on Maren to see what direction she would take this album. Maren did not disappoint. Known for always being true to herself she delivered an album that was full of her own mix of Country and Pop. Every song brings along new meaning to the listener and is one everyone can easily relate to. Taking her recent life experiences such as being a newly wed, rising in stardom etc. Maren brings us along for all of it in this new album. This album has the potential to not only earn Maren more recognition in the Country Music scene but also in the Pop scene. Whatever Maren’s next move is in the music industry she has definitely proved herself with GIRL once again showing the world she is a force to be reckoned with.

I wrote in order to narrate my personal concern about music, I believe music is something that seems to have tendency to bring an emotional change to one’s life. Since I was a child, I always daydream my life in complete harmonies. Like other people, I also find some kind of interaction with music since childhood. Whether on a cute action of cartoon or at funny reactions in a silent comedy. Whether it was in the form of action video games background music or any heroic poses in a movie. Music is always there to mesmerize us. When I was younger, I did not know much about music compositions and genre. My parents used to listen classical, so I have built some knowledge about classical music. Moreover, the time comes, when certain underdogs introduce irreplaceable oddities to Music World. In no time certain other genre ruling the market and facelifted it to another level. They were successfully proving that music is a pure exhibition of feelings regardless of the rules and instrumentation. Country with a mixture of twang banjo, fiddles and guitar along with harmonious, evolved with such grace that it is ruling as the niche genre for decades. Now I became a fan of pop country and the song on my recently played list is “Girl" by Maren Morris.

I was actually quite excited to listen to this album, as I had heard Maren Morris in an NPR interview after her last release. She struck me as energetic, and her music a lot of fun. But country? Well I would say that the first album was more so, but, at least in my opinion, her latest entitled Girl only really has one track that sounds like what one might traditionally call Country, with the others suggesting a link to it. But from what I’ve heard her say in regards to the album, she is proud of this diversity in sound and more importantly the fact that Nashville has received it quite well. There are many notable examples, even current ones, where artists have been rejected from this somewhat exclusive genre for not staying close enough to that desired sound. I guess one of the most prominent of these would be Taylor Swift. But by daring to stretch what is possible, many believe that Morris might be able to finally remove these old barriers that are, in some respects at least, rooted in less desirable elements such as racism and a closing out of the other. And this doesn’t even begin to get at the relative dearth of women in country when compared to men, a problem some might say is getting worse. With regard to the depth of influence from which Morris draws though, there are, for example, a couple of hard rock sounding songs, at least three R&B influenced tracks, and some that can hardly be classified. But the album on a whole is enjoyable, and as I reclined there listening to it, I found myself nearly drawn out of the chair. While some, most notably the title track address serious issues, she mostly lets herself have fun in unspooling these individual and collective pieces of art, with a team of writers that goes about ten deep and occasionally includes her husband, along with her own written contributions to each song. This breadth of writers increases the songs’ relatability to nearly all listeners, and so there should be at least a little something for everyone therein. While I could honestly say I enjoyed all of the tracks, I had a few favorites in particular which I will detail further below.

As a country music fan, the only way to listen to the new Maren Morris album and actually enjoy it is to pretend that she didn’t release this album under the genre label ‘country.’ Genres are so old-school at this point, but there is no possible way that this album could ever be classified as country music. Morris didn’t even try. But honestly, that’s what’s so cool about her. She could have thrown some fiddles and banjo in there and gone to the traditional country community, shouting, “Look! I’m country!” But she didn’t. She just went ahead and released a pop album. Half of me thinks that’s the most badass move in the world, and half of me wants to get really angry about the fact that she’s literally dancing on Merle Haggard and George Jones’ graves by trying to market this album in a genre where it clearly doesn’t belong. It’s a fine line. But that’s it, that’s all I’m going to say about genre because if I say any more about how this record isn’t country, you’ll think I’m a fifty-five-year-old man living in his parents basement ranting about the “good ol’ days” of country music. And I like to think that I’m a progressive young woman, so I’ll cut myself off.

Not since Taylor Swift has country crossed over this much, except for one big difference. Maren Morris is so much better. Her vocals are better, her song melodies and variety of styles are so much more advanced, and I would go so far as to say she is the best act in country right now. It is so interesting that I might think this way, because I was the biggest hater of Taylor crossing over on parts of RED and all of 1989. Not that I didn’t like other genres, but for me the style changed seemed forced. I clearly grew up since then and now welcome such changes which inspire and push boundaries. My 2019 has been lit for March and April listening, non stop to Maren Morris’ GIRL album. Every single song contains power, and this time, I crave the exploration.

For the first time like ever, this year my Mom introduced me to some new music. I also found out that she is such a closet country freak. Here I thought it was all salsa music (she still dances at events at 50 years old) Maybe it is menopause related, but she is totally different these days. Way more outspoken, less emotional, and more logical like a guy would be. And yes, any of her musical secrets are out in the open, because as she says, life is real fucking short. I think this new Mom of mine is hilarious and cool. The music of Maren Morris on GIRL is similarly a total shift for country music. I.E., I can actually listen to it.