Ashley McBryde Delivers with New Song “One Night Standards”
As the Music Row manufacturing line continues to churn out cute little pop starlets in their floppy hats and chemical tans, bearing their midriffs as they sing Auto-tuned lyrics written mostly by committee and wonder why they fail to resonate, Ashley McBryde and others are illustrating the real path forward for country women, which is offering something real, regardless of what the producers and image consultants profess.
Ashley McBryde might be struggling for radio play like the rest of country women, but she also isn’t relying on it, developing strong grassroots from a wide swath of country listeners from working hard, touring harder, and forging a unique sound that can have her range from both badass country rock and roller to more intimate and introspective songwriter, offering something for everyone with good musical tastes to latch onto. Most importantly, when Ashley McBryde sings something, you believe it.
One concern over Ashley McBryde previously has been if she’ll allow the rock edge she brings to some of her music to bleed over too much into what makes her such a cool country performer—a concern that’s especially true when you’re working with a producer like Jay Joyce. But the first single from Ashley’s upcoming second major label release is everything you want from an Ashley McBryde song. It’s edgy and gritty, but still country in the way the words and melody tell a true story we all can relate to, and deftly employ the double entendre to give it that classic country feel.
Taking inspiration from that sinking feeling that both precedes and proceeds a short romantic encounter, “One Night Standards” speaks to the quiet desperation and lowered expectations behind an experience often sold as just “having a little fun” when it’s really more about fulfilling a carnal and emotional need not being fulfilled anywhere else. As “fun” as these encounters many be in the short term, they tend to be chased with an ample degree of loneliness and regret that “One Night Standards” embodies in both what the lyrics say, and what they don’t. Perhaps another verse could have been written between McBryde, and her co-writers. But clocking it at just over 3 minutes, this will keep radio programmers happy.
Producer Jay Joyce doesn’t allow the steel guitar to seep in until the second verse, and the guitar solo of “One Night Standards” sounds like Richie Sambora playing for a packed house at Madison Square Garden circa 1987. But the song doesn’t veer too out-of-bounds for modern country and the crunchier sound that is symbolic of Ashley McBryde’s signature style, while McBryde’s voice itself imparts delicious amount of down home twang.
We have no title or timetable for when Ashley McBryde will deliver her new record aside from the ambiguous “2020,” but “One Night Standards” does give you plenty to be excited about whenever it arrives, and hopefully, something radio will at least consider for moderate rotation.
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“One Night Standards” was recorded with McBryde’s touring band, and co-written with Nicolette Hayford, who also worked with Ashley on “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega,” as well as (cough) Shane McAnally.
Ken
August 30, 2019 @ 10:15 am
I agree 100% this song is our Ashley McBryde, through and through.
OlaR
August 30, 2019 @ 10:34 am
Shane McAnally? Is nobody in Nashville able to write a song without the “help” of Shane McAnally?
But…the song is good & 100% Ashley McBryde.
On Google Play Germany “One Night Standards” is listed as a new Morgan Wallen song…lol.
New Tracks:
Parker McCollum – “Pretty Heart”: first Nashville mayor release for the Texas artist (MCA Nashville).
Aunrie Sellers feat. Steve Earle – “My Love Will Not Change”: not my kind of music.
Alex Hall – “Half Past You”: just another young guy on Shane McAnallys Monument Records…
David James – “All The Time”: Canadian “country star with a pure pop song…perfect for the canadian “country” charts.
63Guild
August 30, 2019 @ 10:39 am
Damn good song
North Woods Country
August 30, 2019 @ 10:47 am
Good song but really soul-crushing. The illusion of freedom has never been painted so clearly in a song, in my opinion.
albert
August 30, 2019 @ 11:36 am
love the hook …, the vocal is OK ..
the music is too synco-bro -sounding for my ear …lyrics sung to fit the syncopation of the groove is rap-ism I can’t get past . also the rock n roll guitar solo should have been a steel ride .
not much of a vocal challenge for ashley here…not much melody ,,,,
Benny Lee
August 30, 2019 @ 11:55 am
Spot on, albert.
I’m assuming the syncopation stuff is ear candy for the masses these days, but it’s the opposite for me.
The more Jay Joyce production I hear, the more I can’t stand it.
You and Your White Claw
August 30, 2019 @ 12:03 pm
Where Miranda shit the bed and keeps delivering pop garbage Ashley took up reins. Thoughtful lyrics instead of repetitive drivel and it actually sounds like a country song. I hope this is Ashley’s Luke Combs moment. It also helps that she has a great personality and is t some glossy PR pushed caricature.
albert
August 30, 2019 @ 12:40 pm
”…… it actually sounds like a country song. ..
in fact …yes …this sounds like what radio is calling ‘country’ . and again …its a great lyric idea ….very country in that respect. I think , however , that our ‘conditioning’ may be deeper than we realize . this could have been an FGL or maren morris song with this production approach . it has all the earmarks of a pop/bro treatment and is nowhere close to a COUNTRY treatment .
personally I think she’s playing it safe here . its not COUNTRY ..its not rock..or pop …..its not southern rock , its not americana . its straight up bro-sounding with a lyric that saves it from being pretty-much forgettable , IMHO.
but hey …if its working for you that’s all that counts to ashley AND the listener .
Anne
August 30, 2019 @ 1:35 pm
Albert I’m afraid I don’t agree with you on this one. I don’t think that this is something that Florida Georgia puke or Maren Morris can sing. I don’t think it sounds like the bro country that’s out there. This is a great song, I love Matt‘s guitar solo, and I think this song is going to do really really well. And if there’s one thing that Ashley does not do, is play it safe.
albert
August 30, 2019 @ 3:17 pm
”This is a great song……..I think this song is going to do really really well. ”
not disagreeing , really anne . its a great lyric ( substance ) and if this one doesn’t do well God knows what will . just saying that its been sculpted to fit a mainstream format production-wise . this isn’t reba /margo price/charlie marie COUNTRY. this is RADIO country from groove to tempo to phrasing to big fat rock guitar solo . THIS is what radio wants and ashley and co. have given it to them .
Anne
August 30, 2019 @ 3:57 pm
I still disagree though, Ashley doesn’t write the radio. And I don’t understand what the issue is with the guitar solo. And I do think that people are right where some people think songs are country or not country but there’s no doubt that she’s a country artist. She’s not like other female country singers, she writes dark things and that doesn’t mean it’s not country.
You and Your White Claw
August 30, 2019 @ 2:18 pm
There are degrees to everything. What you consider country isn’t country enough for somebody else. Name one mainstream country female that’s putting out new music that is more country sounding than what Ashley is performing? Yes we can find tons of less know artists but I’m talking mainstream. Stuff you can hear on the radio, songs you can find on the ITunes Charts or Country Streaming lists.
Like it or not but the women at the top of the genre and their successes inspire the younger generation of women coming up. Maren, Miranda, Carrie have all sold out to the mighty pop dollar. Which direction do you prefer new artist to go in, Ashley or the pop artists?
Melissa W
August 30, 2019 @ 2:58 pm
I agree however it’s not just the women. Besides Jon Pardi, Midland & Cody Johnson it’s really the same situation with mainstream regardless of their gender.
You and Your White Claw
August 30, 2019 @ 3:22 pm
You can throw in Luke and couple more names. Men still outnumber women by quite a large margin. Men are also trending towards more traditional songs while women are trending down and going more pop. That’s the biggest issue we have in mainstream.
Melissa W
August 30, 2019 @ 4:46 pm
Yeah for whatever reason the mainstream “country” women are overwhelmingly turning towards more pop. Besides Reba I can’t think of any new music (album) this year by a mainstream woman that’s actually country.
Trigger
August 30, 2019 @ 5:02 pm
Since labels are having time breaking female artists, they’re trying to make them more accessible by making them more pop. However this is working against the grain to what is becoming more popular in country music, which is twangier artists like Luke Combs, Riley Green, Jon Pardi, etc. This is making it worse for country women, not better, while an artists like Ashley McBryde is resonating because she comes across as real, and is also been working the road instead of releasing singles and sticking around Nashville, waiting for an opening slot to open up on an arena tour.
Melissa W
August 30, 2019 @ 6:09 pm
It certainly didn’t help the women that Reba hasn’t been getting any recognition from her record. I felt like Freedom was a weak song to choose for a single. Perhaps a different song could’ve helped. I feel like artists like Carrie & Miranda can really help country music specifically for the women if they put out country. They are well known. Gotta have someone like that maybe start a trend for the ladies since they are well known/ established with large fan bases.
Kross
August 30, 2019 @ 12:16 pm
good music right here. , I also recommend that new Parker McCollum tune and the new Craig Morgan song that were both released today. Since we’re talking about new music.
Trigger
August 30, 2019 @ 1:20 pm
There were a few good songs released today.
North Woods Country
August 31, 2019 @ 8:17 am
You’re going to cover the Craig Morgan song, right? An honest journalist needs to write that story–the country music world needs it.
“The Father My Son and the Holy Ghost” is an incredible song.
Trigger
August 31, 2019 @ 11:12 am
There are a lot of songs and albums out there right now demanding reviews. I do the best I can.
JB-Chicago
August 30, 2019 @ 3:18 pm
Took a few spins but I’m really likin’ it! Love the melody……and “It’s just a room key……etc.
How it goes is, bar closes, there’s no king bed covered in roses just a room without a view……I don’t want a number you ain’t gonna answer, let’s just stick to one night standards.” Great hook/chorus like you all know I love. “I ain’t Cinderella but who is?”……………..””truth is lonely makes a heart ruthless”….great lyrics all the way through, nice little guitar lead break. I think we have a hit here, certainly could help her break. When’s it going for adds?
JB-Chicago
September 4, 2019 @ 8:47 am
Country Aircheck says it hits radio Sept 23. Let’s hope it has a long a fruitful journey to the top 10 with many many spins! I’d consider it going top 10 a success.
Corncaster
August 30, 2019 @ 3:23 pm
Unpopular opinion alert, but whatever.
Rock guitars, club beat, well-crafted, southern accent … brainless moral vision.
Unlike “Dahlonega,” this song has no heart.
One night standards? Clever, but they’re too low. We can and should cast stones at ideas and songs. We do it all the time. In this one, the song knows the connection between one night stands and a ruthless heart and votes to continue to be ruthless with herself (or himself) anyway.
This isn’t wisdom: it’s weakness asking for everyone to let it slide, again.
I get it. I’ve been there. And this song is part of the honesty of country music. But you know, unlike this particular song, the best of the weepers in country music weren’t so unapologetic about perpetuating hurt and the pain. They lamented it.
This song is like what AC/DC would do with a slow ballad and a chick singer.
Ashley is good. I wish her more success, but I wish she would use her talent and honesty to slow down the downward slide.
Trigger
August 30, 2019 @ 3:31 pm
“Club beat”?
Not even close.
Corncaster
August 30, 2019 @ 3:53 pm
The pulse is four on the floor, just Millennial style instead of the 808 stuff. No?
kristofer hitchcock
August 30, 2019 @ 5:36 pm
Didn’t Waylon invent 4 on the floor? I had never heard that term as a young guitar player until the first time I played “don’t think hank done it this way”
Trigger
August 30, 2019 @ 6:37 pm
Yeah, Richie Albright’s heavy right foot is what I thought of when listening to the drums here, not 22-year-old Molly-popping pacifier suckers.
Corncaster
August 31, 2019 @ 5:55 am
No, he didn’t invent it. He called that feel a Cajun stomp. It was different, it had a lilt. This beat is straight.
albert
August 30, 2019 @ 3:42 pm
well CC , i seemed to have posted an unpopular opinion above which to some extent agrees with your take on the production . but as a lyric writer / listener/ student i’m afraid that although I understand and respect your stance I gotta go with the honesty and REAL in this lyric . we’ve all been there or can at least relate to the ” it ain’t love but it ain’t bad ‘ sentiment we may have felt in a one night stand . country music is riddled with cheatin songs which may indeed ruffle feathers but in today’s country lyric climate ….man give me REAL . this is a fine lyric , IMHO , but again …..i really think ashely has undermined her vocal talents and given in on this one .
Corncaster
August 30, 2019 @ 4:00 pm
I respect the craft, but I’ve seen the hurt up close. The beat here is well-chosen, as if she needs it to convince herself, or lean on it for “support.”
I guess we all draw our lines as best we can. Then again, maybe not.
North Woods Country
August 30, 2019 @ 6:29 pm
I agree–the message is awful, but there are people like this out there so it’s realistic. The narrator isn’t necessarily Ashley McBryde, you know?
Denise Richard
August 30, 2019 @ 4:01 pm
I’m proud of you girl
kristofer hitchcock
August 30, 2019 @ 5:37 pm
Love it, Rock on McBryde!
618creekrat
August 30, 2019 @ 5:40 pm
Did I interrupt Levon Helm’s “Dirt Farmer” for this??
Seriously, the guitar fill didn’t bug me. It didn’t drain the battery in my phone or peel the anodizing off my Bluetooth speaker. It didn’t even set off any of the primers in the shotshell loader I was running. Besides, we know this isn’t Jamie Lin Wilson or Jaime Wyatt. The worst thing musically for me was the hint of auto-tuney warble in the opening, but I suppose they could be chumming the water for pop country listeners.
The narrative is fraught with despair, and (as CC noted) vacated of morals, but perhaps that’s the point of it. At best it’s placebo to bide the night; at worst it’s another lap around a vicious circle. Put this song in the context of the live album she has up on Apple, and I think you’ll see she does have compass, and the needle can find N. That version of the tune should also allay concerns about her musical direction.
Another thing – I can see Jay Joyce being seen as a red flag. In this case, though, he produced her first album, so why expect him to break what’s working? True, he produced ML’s latest, but she went to him looking for change, so I think it’s reasonable to expect he might err a bit too much in the direction of change for her.
NCW
August 30, 2019 @ 5:55 pm
Maybe I’m wrong, but I think the release date for her new album was on the single cover art. 130 was the room number. 1/30 I bet is the release date.
The song is 100% Ashley. It’s just another great song for her and acceptable lead single. Testing those radio (morons) programmers.
bll
August 30, 2019 @ 6:09 pm
I enjoy her writing style; I listen to the Garth channel on Sirrius and hear her a lot. My only critique of this review is using the word ‘bearing’ when it should be ‘baring’. 🙂
hoptowntiger94
August 30, 2019 @ 6:37 pm
I’m learning my ears can’t handle Jay Joyce’s production. Pass.
618creekrat
August 30, 2019 @ 7:20 pm
BTW, if you have access to Apple Music, scoot on over there and check out the 8 song live album she released today. Along with others, you’ll get an acoustic take on this song. A taste of her live sound has me even more inclined to catch one of her gigs in the future.
Lisa
August 31, 2019 @ 4:38 am
Burning Down Chicago is great. I heard it on that album for the first time yesterday. She’s something special.
Aggc
August 30, 2019 @ 8:00 pm
Definitely not her best song but …
Deborah
August 30, 2019 @ 11:13 pm
The first part about the pop country girls is so true,even Carrie Underwood falls into that list. I saw Ashley and band in concert in Albertville,Al and they were so awesome, this girl is the real thing, I am a fan forever!
Drake O.
August 31, 2019 @ 12:39 am
Heard this on my Release Radar on Spotify and loved it immediately
Marianne
August 31, 2019 @ 6:24 am
I have been one of Ashley’s biggest champions,
but I’m disappointed in this one. Hints of bro country styling. Aren’t we beyond that? Her voice is so amazingly perfect and deserves so much more than the constraints this song puts on it. (Actually the guitar solo I thought was one of the saviors of this song.) Hope it’s not representative of the album. She deserves widespread success but this seems too formulaic in the approach and may end up giving her star status at the cost of respect from the artist community.
albert
August 31, 2019 @ 9:40 am
it ‘s almost a given that at some point if an artist wants big label and mainstream radio support they will need to capitulate to the ‘formulaic’ and ‘bro-styling’ production/arrangement that format demands ( josh turner , easton corbin , carrie , maren and even miranda on that riduclous ” good feelin something bad’s about to happen ”. ) and indeed this dangerously approaches that point for ashely .
Blake
August 31, 2019 @ 7:04 am
I don’t think this is the best Ashley has done, but I’m not really disappointed. If her and other female artists such as Charlie Marie and Emily Scott Robinson we’re out on “Country” radio I think it would blow people’s minds and would be a much better representation of the astounding talent women bring to the table.
“Rodeo” Charlie Marie – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-PzabUG9n2E
“Overalls” Emily Scott Robinson – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ1OCQb_M2Y
Melissa W
August 31, 2019 @ 8:58 am
Those are great songs. A Shot in the Dark & Countryside by Charlie Marie are my favorites of hers. Shoshone Rose is one hell of a song/story by Robinson. Definitely good stuff that I wish would make mainstream. Miranda (new music), Carrie, Marren and all these other female mainstream acts should be embarrassed for what they are putting out.
albert
August 31, 2019 @ 9:50 am
i cannot get enough of the Emily Scott Robinson album . she is a writer first and that’s the difference between folks like her and Carrie . carrie is more performance -focused ….and she can sell whatever she sings to that pop market .but I agree…..if folks could only hear ESR .
example; tenille townes is a great young singer/writer from Canada whose material is light years better than most mainstreamers…especially here in Canada where ‘country’ has all but become a dirty word on radio . she got her deal and her stuff is finally getting the exposure it deserves based on the quality of that writing and , although her guitar- vocal sound has been augmented with a band , she has not gone the bro route whatsoever . she sounds like -duh -TENILLE TOWNES – and her voice and lyric is front and centre .a rare scenario indeed but completely possible .
“c’mon ashley ….dont bro-out on us !”
Melissa W
August 31, 2019 @ 10:37 am
I love Tenille Townes. She has 6 acoustic songs on Amazon music that are just incredible. She has a great voice & shouldn’t be over produced. She is a great song writer! Unfortunately the production of “Somebody’s Daughter” damn near ruined that song. I heard it on the radio here so CA a few months ago & I hardly recognized the song. My opinion it’s a pop production. I was disappointed once I recognized the song.
albert
August 31, 2019 @ 9:33 pm
actually I think you are dead right about SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER Melissa …that was a bad mistake production-wise ….I’d forgotten about how they messed that gem of a song up. I always listen to her live acoustic You Tube versions of her songs …WAY better .Still ….these are some of the best songs floating around out there , in my opinion and man can she deliver them . I’ll be VERY surprised if her career doesn’t skyrocket. or maybe I won’t be. I think we’ve seen so many potentially GREAT artists CRUSHED by mainstream’s expectations in favour of half-baked talent seemingly willing to sing any nursery rhyme forced upon them .
Blake
August 31, 2019 @ 12:19 pm
Melissa, I would say that everything out by Charlie Marie is just amazing. If she released her EP on Vinyl I would buy it in half a heartbeat.
Corncaster
August 31, 2019 @ 2:56 pm
Both excellent.
That Emily Scott Robinson song? That’s a first-class stunner. She’s another Lori McKenna.
Greg Green
September 4, 2019 @ 6:02 am
Wow! Just listened to Overalls. Incredible song, simple presentation, great accompaniment and breathtaking in its beauty.
Thanks.
Tracy
August 31, 2019 @ 9:42 am
I see some disappointed comments on here, but I really like this. No way do I hear bro country on this.
wayne
August 31, 2019 @ 10:23 am
Agree with comments. Ashley is great, but this song is not my choice. However, relatively speaking, better than most junk out there. Hope ti does well fr her.
Alex
August 31, 2019 @ 7:36 pm
Jay Joyce produced music has not impressed me lately. “Desperate Man,” “All Comes Out in the Wash,” and now “One Night Standards.” I like all of the concepts these songs present, but it leaves me wishing for more. The music and songwriting should work together to create a feeling when you listen. I am not feeling it when I listen to new music from artists I loved years ago. Ashley’s best album in my opinion was “Jalopies and Expensive Guitars,” while her next album and now this song don’t impress me as much.
Farina
September 1, 2019 @ 10:43 am
As it stands, this song is fairly ordinary. I’m always on the side of less is more. I’d love to hear this with just an acoustic guitar.
Matt Murphy
September 4, 2019 @ 9:13 am
The moral aspect of this song is interesting. Is she expressing longing and regret or is this a straightforward statement from a fully liberated woman? There is nothing in the lyrics to suggest the first take, though longing is suggested by the steel guitar.
I think the listener is left free to interpret it either way. That kind of ambiguity is certainly part of the country music tradition.
And I agree with those above who would ditch the heavy drums and maybe the guitar solo.
albert
September 4, 2019 @ 1:04 pm
the very sad reality about popular music is that even if you have something of substance to say ( which is a bit of an oxymoron right there ) , you are almost always forced to serve it up in a trendy production due to the fact that casual listeners are conditioned that way . many , if not most , don’t pay attention to a lyric but they’re familiar with the drum machines , the handclap/fingersnap syncopated and often congested rap -style rhyming and phrasing so they’re hooked long enough to MAYBE hear what the song is saying .