[MUSIC REVIEW] Honest Life (2017) by Courtney Marie Andrews
Arizona-born Courtney Marie Andrews crosses Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell - a combination that should be impossible, but Courtney's light arrangements make an immediate impression as something natural and completely unique.
The real power is in the voice; her tone is warm and natural, which makes one feel at one with the music. All the songs on "Honest Life", Courtney's sixth album, have a calming effect, as if they were written directly after a storm, when everything has calmed down and the everyday life is about to go back to normal. The memories are painful, but there is still a lot to live for.
"Honest Life" began to take shape in Belgium, during a European tour with homesickness as the main source of inspiration. This background places the bright Laurel Canyon atmosphere in a new context; even if the songs were recorded at home (the album is self-produced), the music didn't come as a response to the surrounding country and folk trends. This may be one reason that the album stands firmly on its own feet, despite the obvious references.
The melancholic framing reminds me of moments of suddenly being overwhelmed by nostalgia - for a brief moment the past becomes a part of the present, a fragrance takes you back to childhood, the safety that has been lost is within reach. Courtney doesn't break new ground, but her lyrics are universal and most of us can relate to unrequited love.
The opening track "Rookie Dreaming" captures everything that I mentioned, but without becoming depressed, self-pitying or black; rather uplifting and comforting. With "Honest Life" Courtney Marie Andrews has already released one of the year's best albums, and I hope we get to hear a lot more from her in the future.
this is gooood