Album Review – Lori McKenna’s “The Balladeer”
Lori McKenna long since outed herself as one of the premier songwriters of our era, if not the premier songwriter, so much so that she can go both toe to toe with the top wordsmiths of Americana, while minting premier success with some of the most defining songs in mainstream country of our time. She is the mother hen of country songwriting, the measuring stick all other wordsmiths measure themselves against, a one woman wrecking crew who can challenge anyone who believes they can’t be rendered weepy and reminiscent from a country song, and deliver a resounding win.
When regarding her solo career that now spans some eleven albums over 20 years—from boutique labels to Warner Music Nashville, and now her own label distributed through Thirty Tigers—the output is just as impressive, even if not as celebrated as the success she’s had writing songs for others. But in this current era of McKenna working with producer Dave Cobb starting with 2016’s The Bird & The Rifle, on to 2018’s The Tree, and now with this new one called The Balladeer, she’s found an entirely new level of critical acclaim where it’s not just her songs, but her voice and performance that is being appreciated, and awarded.
If anything, The Balladeer takes lofty expectations already reaching towards the unattainable, and still impresses with what might be the high water mark of McKenna’s career so far. It would be hard to impossible for her to surpass what she’s been doing already with writing songs. But on this new record, McKenna and Dave Cobb labor not just to present stellar songs that work all by themselves in a way that is flattering and reverent, but to discover the perfect sound for each track. They’re more explorative than ever, letting some of the outtros elongate, and relying a lot on piano to paint the melody as opposed to guitar. This results in a landmark record not just for Lori McKenna, but for 2020.
Once again, when you want or need to turn to music to reset your mood or world view, refocus around the real priorities of life, and put your petty concerns into perspective, Lori McKenna is the medicine you reach for. The wisdom and calming attitude flowing from these works is as potent as Asian proverbs. Along the way McKenna also proves that you don’t need to be broken and destitute to pen songs or mine inspiration. It’s the calming order in which she presents the cycles of life that decorate us all in poeticism and importance.
Music is supposed to be a young person’s game. A mother of five now in her 50’s who got married at 19 and never left her sleepy hometown in Massachusetts is not someone with a relevant perspective, or so they tell us. But try standing behind that argument when you hear the song “Marie,” which mirror’s McKenna’s own story of losing her mother when she was seven, or the sense of parenthood that cuts so deep in “When You’re My Age,” or “Till You’re Grown,” or the story about knowing your hometown front and back found in “This Town is a Woman.”
The sentiments in “Uphill” can be understood by anyone. And even those stuck in perpetual ‘glory days’ syndrome who often make up so much of the mainstream country demographic obsessed with how their best days were in the past can relate to the song “Stuck In High School.” But the magnanimous gift of Lori McKenna’s music is the message that life never loses its meaning and magic. It just morphs into other places, and taking time to appreciate these passing moments is what keeps the richness of life around well past young adulthood.
There are good songs, and then there are Lori McKenna songs. She just resides on a different plane. There isn’t a dud in the bunch, or a dry eye left whenever one of her records is cued up. But The Balladeer does feel even more exceptional than normal. Working in unique chord changes and creating ambient moments in a song like “The Dream,” or collaborating with her fellow Love Junkies Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey in “When You’re My Age” without impinging on those more pure, singer/songwriter moments in songs like “Uphill” or “Two Birds” make The Balladeer a remarkable record, even for Lori McKenna.
9/10
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ezra
July 28, 2020 @ 11:28 am
what a perfect review for a perfect record. these last 3 albums from Lori Mckenna are tremendous and amazing songwriting
Jake Cutter
July 28, 2020 @ 11:36 am
It usually takes me more listens than normal for her albums to sink in. On the first couple times through I thought she might have finally let me down…should have known better. She’s definitely on another level.
John
July 28, 2020 @ 11:57 am
I know she aint country no more.. but I would love to hear what you think of the Taylor Swift album? Have you had a chance to listen to it yet?
Jake Cutter
July 28, 2020 @ 12:05 pm
LOL.
618creekrat
July 28, 2020 @ 5:47 pm
I think John may be the first Taylor Swift leg-humper to use the “ain’t no more”. I suspect Trig’s being trolled… 🎣
Jake Cutter
July 28, 2020 @ 6:31 pm
If sincere I just wonder what it means to them. Some sort of validation?
wayne
July 28, 2020 @ 12:15 pm
John,
I hope you are just kidding.
Trigger
July 28, 2020 @ 12:55 pm
I may or may not review the new Taylor Swift record, and might review it just to turn the firehouse of requests about it off. But my priority is the women and men of country and roots like Lori McKenna, Courtney Marie Andrews, Scott Southworth, and others that released records last week.
albert
July 28, 2020 @ 5:48 pm
”But my priority is the women and men of country and roots like Lori McKenna, Courtney Marie Andrews, Scott Southworth,……”
anyone looking for a TS review can find one in a hundred other places .
there are so many country/roots artists who deserve our attention on THIS site it would be a shame to give that space to an artist who is decidedly not ( and IMO never was ) .
Trigger
July 28, 2020 @ 10:54 pm
But with so many people calling her new record folk/Americana, it may be necessary for someone who actually knows what folk and Americana is to lend some important insight to the public discourse. I’m not saying I’m going to review the record, but for every request I receive in these comments sections, I receive three more on social media and via email. That in itself speaks for the desire or need for perspective.
The other problem is it was a surprise release, and it’s a 16 track record. That requires a LOT of listening, and on short notice. I’m just not willing to dramatically shift my undivided attention to Taylor Swift. But I will listen when I can, and if I feel I have something to say, I will.
albert
July 28, 2020 @ 11:10 pm
good points , trigger . I respect whatever you feel you need to do .
but here’s a singer that’s ‘country’, then pop , or whatever , now ‘folk/americana ‘……what will she be next time out …jazz ? reggae ? gregorian chant ?
I’m ok with a COUNTRY artist experimenting musically here and there to keep things interesting for themselves . but the whole mainstream pop thing is mostly trite lyric and ‘experimental’ machine-generated sonics all the time . trend-chasing . during covid , an awful lot of acts are doing ‘ live from home’ videos . …..mostly sparse acoustic stuff . THIS is a trend at the moment . THIS seems to be one more trend TS has jumped on with a ‘folk’ record .
but again …your call , trigger . is your house .
wayne
July 29, 2020 @ 11:17 am
No Trigger, it is not necessary.
Rusty
July 29, 2020 @ 8:02 am
I dont feel like it should be reviewed here, but calling it a generic pop record or saying she is chasing trends is completely wrong. It’s anything but generic pop and the lyricism beats any of the Americana artists I’ve listened to reviewed on this site. And it was produced independently. And though I feel it doesn’t belong on this site, it’s a damn good record. Maybe the best of the year
albert
July 29, 2020 @ 8:49 am
all I would say to TS fans who enjoy her songwriting is :
Tenille Townes
Caitlin Smith
Sykamore
Mindy Smith
Lori McKenna
Tenille Arts
Ashley McBryde
Ashley McBryde ( yes..I said it twice )
and on and on and on ……
so many GREAT writers who work under a COUNTRY/folk/americana umbrella and trigger does a great job of bringing them to our attention. AND they are also terrific vocalists with tons of character .
Cool Lester Smooth
July 29, 2020 @ 8:37 am
But they can’t find it from steadfastly country reviewers who have never particularly bought into the Cult of Taylor Swift.
(I say as someone who quite enjoys her first three albums).
liza
July 28, 2020 @ 6:53 pm
I’d like to know what you think about the song betty from Taylor’s album.
Jake Cutter
July 28, 2020 @ 7:48 pm
I’d like to know what you think of the album being reviewed here. Wait….no I wouldn’t.
liza
July 29, 2020 @ 9:36 am
I love it. I’ve followed Lori from the beginning – probably long before you heard of her – and always travel to attend her album release shows. Sadly, the release show for Balladeer was online.
Jake Cutter
July 29, 2020 @ 10:19 am
Yet your first comment here is about Taylor Swift. As I said… didn’t really want to know.
liza
July 29, 2020 @ 2:18 pm
Look Jakey… I was responding to a post someone made about Taylor. I don’t need to comment on a near perfect review that I agree with. So how about fuck you.
Jake Cutter
July 29, 2020 @ 3:01 pm
No thanks. Stay classy though.
albert
July 30, 2020 @ 8:18 am
because you asked what we thought of betty :
first off ….this is a music site about SONGS so that’s how I listen . I ‘m listening to the song …not just the story or the words . I’ll read a book for that .
as I’ve said , her voice is , I believe , an acquired taste at best .
this song illustrates that vocal ‘flatness’ ..
lyrically its congested , busy , and the wandering nature of the story along with the repetitive ‘melody’ ( two notes mostly ) loses me less than 45 seconds in . this ‘over -narrating’ is a common hallmark of much of her writing and a sign of poor crafting . like so many other ‘artists’ , I believe she would benefit from more experienced songwriting input from a GREAT co-writer . it takes her forever to just ‘say it’ .LESS IS MORE .
I don’t expect to change the minds of hard core TS fans , but if you appreciate the art of songwriting and not just TS as a ‘singer’ then hopefully you’ll listen to some of the others I’ve mentioned in this post and have a better understanding of why , to my mind , TS has MUCH to learn .
618creekrat
July 29, 2020 @ 8:40 am
I gave its first three songs a listen.
Apple’s little intro described it as “bedroom pop”. I think I’d describe it as cake without icing. Which is less fattening, I suppose.
Back to Lori…
Cool Lester Smooth
July 30, 2020 @ 12:04 pm
I listened through, and it’s quite good (probably her best since Speak Now)…but it’s very, very clearly pop.
It’s the direction I wish she had gone, when she left the genre behind…but it’s still sanding away a lot of what made her interesting, back in the day.
OneBySea
July 28, 2020 @ 12:04 pm
Didn’t waste any time getting this one reviewed huh?
Only had a chance to sit down with my copy just last night, and totally agree with the review. It’s Lori McKenna being Lori McKenna on the songwriting, but the production is clearly a step up from The Tree. Instead of just getting weepy and nostalgic, you also get to interleave that with little moments of “oh, that was a cool transition”, “what was that part”, etc. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think her voice has gotten stronger too.
Paddy
July 28, 2020 @ 12:27 pm
How lucky we are to have her. When you consider she did not really start until she was in her thirties she is just getting better. Like good wine she just matures with age.
Tex Hex
July 28, 2020 @ 12:39 pm
She’s a great artist. Great writer. She epitomizes the core things I love about country – its universality, timelessness, and agelessness. But, as I’ve said before, I can’t make it through her songs without choking up – which, unfortunately, means I probably don’t listen to her music as often as I should.
618creekrat
July 28, 2020 @ 5:39 pm
Yeah, she wields that pen so well. My Dad’s been gone about a year and a half now, and “The Dream” tapped so directly into that in some way that I’m not even sure I won’t hit the skip button the next time it comes up.
Farina
July 28, 2020 @ 12:51 pm
Great news! With everything that’s been going on, I’d forgotten this was coming out. Just listened to ‘The Tree” last week, and it still tears me up. Hopefully we’ll get to chance to see her live one of these days.
Benny Lee
July 28, 2020 @ 3:58 pm
Yup, it’s just perfect.
The writing is there, as always; and she’s the kind of writer who just keeps getting better with age.
Her voice seems to just get better, too. Like someone above said, like a fine wine.
And the production matches it all perfectly. Not in the way, but also not too out of the way – just right.
AOTY contender for me, along with Lauren Mascitti and Neon Leon 😉
Euro South
July 28, 2020 @ 4:44 pm
Great album.
C
July 28, 2020 @ 6:16 pm
I don’t know how Lori does it. I’ve listened to her for a while now and you are so right about her music being medicine. I turn to her for songs about the beauty and struggles of life. Her work is such a gift.
Kelly
July 28, 2020 @ 8:30 pm
I love the little details and moments she puts into her songs like the baby angel picture in “Marie”. Other writers’ songs seem so generic in comparison.
albert
July 28, 2020 @ 11:35 pm
i totally appreciate that someone writing mature songs ABOUT real things is being acknowledged for doing so….and not just by listeners but by other artists who ‘get’ that she is, indeed , offering up her take on REAL .
although I have not heard this album in its entirety , it does seem that there’s a sameness about her arrangements and productions over most of her records. ..that is …they sound like one long record of LM demos …..not overly-polished ….not always dynamically engaging , not showcasing soloists …….but nonetheless they resonate lyrically …..so mission accomplished . not something i’d listen to over and over , but perhaps this one has some surprises in that respect ?
Daniele
July 29, 2020 @ 1:46 am
As a songwriter myself i consider LM the greatest of our generation. The tree changed my perspective about songwriting and this new one is pure gold. Just 2 days ago i was in a parking lot inside my car listening to “Marie” and crying like a baby, and i’m 45. Now this is country music to me.
Dawg Fan
July 29, 2020 @ 8:31 am
Been listening to it this morning. Excellent album. She may not share Joni Mitchell’s style of music but McKenna is on par with her as a lyricist in my 65 year old opinion. Nice to hear music and lyrics not geared toward tractor rappers.
OlaR
July 29, 2020 @ 9:41 am
(Un-)Popular Opinion: the production is lifeless. It’s more of the same on all ten tracks.
On the other hand…no production can destroy the fine songwriting.
Mat
July 29, 2020 @ 10:52 am
Just listened to “Marie” for the first time — Holy crap! It hits like a 2 x 4.
kross
July 30, 2020 @ 6:26 am
this should be on the short list for Album of the year. And I admittedly don’t listen to a lot of music made by women.
eisenhorn
July 30, 2020 @ 7:51 am
I am thankful for this album. I often disagree with Trigger’s ratings (not the actual text of the reviews) – the Ashley McBryde review is an example. Where he rates an 8.5 or 8, I often think the album should rate lower. However, I feel the 9 hear is dead-on.
A fifty-year old mom of five writing country music about real life? Sign me up. I am not a mom, but I am dad married to a wonderful 47 year old mother of my four children and this album resonates very well with me. There’s definitely a talent for song writing and it sounds great to me. Thanks, Trigger, for continuing to introduce me to great music.