16 March 2020

US artist Kelsea Ballerini will release her third studio album ‘kelsea’ on March 20 and it is her open – and arguably best – record to date Kelsea Ballerini kelsea Black River Entertainment ***** Maturity, honesty and musical evolution in abundance – this is a winner  It’s crazy to think how much Kelsea Ballerini has achieved in such a short space of time. At the age of 26, she’s a member of the Grand Ole Opry, had two of her albums become Gold certified, in a position where she can go on a headline tour in some of America’s biggest venues and is widely seen as someone who could dominate within the genre for decades to come. She’s also now on her third record with ‘kelsea’ and this could well be the record that cements further Ballerini’s credentials within the genre, as what she has conjured up is nothing short of exemplary. What is a key running theme is vulnerability and honesty – namely love me like a girl, lead single homecoming queen? and album opener overshare – with Ballerini using this album to make a point that’s ok to not be ok and that it’s also more than fine to speak out about these feelings rather than bottle them up. This ties into something Ballerini said in the build-up to the album being released, which was that she wanted to make a point that she was still very much a country music artist and not a popstar – tracks like hole in the bottle and (especially) half of my hometown in particular will shut down naysayers, with both tracks not only set to please purists and casual fans in equal measure, but they also carry so much more meaning than perhaps a generic pop song does. There are more country pop focussed songs, of course – notably club and needy – but that’s hardly a bad thing and both are really good tracks. The songwriting on this record is on another level, while Ballerini’s vocals sound better here than ever before – which is no mean feat, given the outrageous levels of musical ability and talent she has at her disposal. Speaking for us back for our November/December issue, Ballerini told us that she wasn’t confident of her chances at the CMA Awards as it was “not my year yet” – with this album though, she might be feeling a bit more confident when the inevitable nominations come her way. Melanie Glass www.kelseaballerini.com

On March 13, The Shires released their fourth studio album in the shape of ‘Good Years’, which has serious potential to help them make a dent in America The Shires GOOD YEARS BMG **** Bigger sound meets bigger ambition When it comes to UK acts who have flown the country music flag, it’s impossible to gauge just how much impact The Shires have had. Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes’ music has seen them claim three successive Top 10 album chartings and with that, influence a whole generation of UK artists that country music is a possible outlet that won’t be dismissed. However, thus far, the duo have yet to make a real dent in the American country scene – they have had their fair share of success across the Atlantic, of course, but not to the point they’re a household name in the same breath as say, other duos like Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line or Maddie & Tae. But, they are trying to be more of name across the pond and they now have a new label with BMG, which could help them tenfold in the long run – especially with an album to promote that’s as good as ‘Good Years’. The most notable thing about this record is the sound – it’s clear that the duo have gone for a much bigger and bolder sound than they have gone for before, in particular songs like About Last Night, Independence Day and No Secrets, all of which have huge, atmospheric choruses that seem to have been designed with bigger venues in mind. Fans needn’t worry that they have abandoned their beliefs, though – the same honest songwriting is evident all the way through the album. As an example, People Like Us comes across as not only autobiographical, but also as a rap across the knuckles for those who dismiss them, with the message being that they are who they are and that they don’t care what people say as they have each other – and you know, there’s a lot in that. The duo have also opted to work with other songwriters for the first time, too – Lightning Strikes being an example of this – but it works really well for the pair. This is a very strong offering from the pair and who knows, maybe it’ll get them the credit they fully deserve in America. Melanie Glass www.theshiresmusic.com