Maren Morris

Girl

Almost three years after her debut, Grammy winner and country crossover artist Maren Morris returns with Girl, a genre-blended work of country, pop, soft rock and R&B. This works in Morris’s favour, since her voice naturally fits well with different genres, as demonstrated by her 2018 pop collaboration with Zedd and Grey on “The Middle.” Over half of Girl is dedicated to love songs, which is partly due to her 2018 marriage to fellow country artist Ryan Hurd, while the rest is a combination of girl power, equality and a “you do you” attitude. On first single “Girl,” country music’s current feminist anthem, Morris sings how women are in this world together and instead of putting others down, they should lift each other up. Another empowering tune is “Flavor,” a guitar-heavy metaphorical song about staying true to one’s self. “The Feels” is upbeat and toe-tapping, with a solid cello rhythm throughout, while “A Song for Everything” has a soft country melody with a guitar, drum, piano and maraca combo. “Make Out With Me,” a to-the-point love song, sounds like it’s set in the 1950s, even crackling as if it’s spinning on a turntable.

Morris also dives into two collaborations, one with Brothers Osborne called “All My Favorite People,” and “Common” with Brandi Carlile. Both add to the overall themes of the album of not caring what others think and working together towards a better world. What’s impressive about Girl, though, is how Morris’s vocals have grown, along with the maturity and uniqueness of each song. It’s clear that Girl isn’t a sophomore slump, but rather an album worth investing in. (Columbia Nashville) HIP- HOP 4:44,