Although country radio has been a difficult environment for women all across the US and Canada, Canada seems to be more embracing of new female country artists. Just a few of the female artists artists who have had Top 20 hits over the last year are Jess Moskaluke, Madeline Merlo, and Kira Isabella. This is the debut album from another rising star, Leah Daniels. It features the three singles, "Old Piano," "Dream Without You," and the Top 20 hit "Go Back." Produced by Sam Ellis, this album mixes traditional and modern country with pop influences.
The album kicks off with "Boots 'n Jeans" a typical country track about preferring country boys to city boys. This topic appears again in the fourth track, "Take Me Outta The City," where Daniels laments about her day job in the city. Country life is a big topic on this record, and shows up yet again on the last track, "Salt Water." Daniels changes it up with this ballad, singing about wanting to go back home.
The three singles off this record so far are actually all highlights. This is quite surprising, since singles tend to be mediocre compared to the rest of a full length album. Labels and artists look for the songs that are the most like everything else on the radio, and have the biggest chance of being successful and promoting the rest of the album at the same time. However, in this case, Daniels managed to chose songs that weren’t exactly like songs on radio, but also ones that were fairly successful, and were amazing songs. "Go Back" was the lead single and true hit of this record, with it's a acoustic base, leading to a bigger chorus, a haunting sound and cutting lyrics. Daniels sings to the ex of her current boyfriend, telling her to stop creeping around them, and "go back to where you came from." It's the opposite situation than in Tyler Farr's "Redneck Crazy," and a much better song.
The three singles off this record so far are actually all highlights. This is quite surprising, since singles tend to be mediocre compared to the rest of a full length album. Labels and artists look for the songs that are the most like everything else on the radio, and have the biggest chance of being successful and promoting the rest of the album at the same time. However, in this case, Daniels managed to chose songs that weren’t exactly like songs on radio, but also ones that were fairly successful, and were amazing songs. "Go Back" was the lead single and true hit of this record, with it's a acoustic base, leading to a bigger chorus, a haunting sound and cutting lyrics. Daniels sings to the ex of her current boyfriend, telling her to stop creeping around them, and "go back to where you came from." It's the opposite situation than in Tyler Farr's "Redneck Crazy," and a much better song.
"Old Piano" and "Dream Without You" are both more piano based. The former track was the third single from the album, released about a month ago. It's a melancholy and nostalgic song, recounting an old relationship through a piano that the couple used to play together. A pop country track, this song is one of the best on the album. The lyrics are flawless and Daniels’ vocal performance is stellar, creating an emotive and booming ballad. The latter track is one of the most pop influenced tracks on the record, and also has an acoustic version of the song tacked on at the end of the album. Although the original version of the song has more power and a bigger build up than the acoustic version does, the acoustic version is superior, with the more raw sound and less pop influence.
Love songs are an often occurrence throughout this record, and often are acoustic guitar based. “So In Love” and “Still” are two of the best, both delicate songs that incorporate folk ad pop influences along with the acoustic base. They both take different perspectives on a relationship, the former track being a happy, sweet love song, while "Still" is an epic ballad. "Still" is the better and more powerful of the two, and qualifies as a true country ballad, one to the likes of "Someday When I Stop Loving You" by Carrie Underwood.
Leah Daniels has already been nominated for Rising Star by the CCMA’s, and won the CMAO award for Rising Star. She has a country sound that's pop enough to have radio appeal, but is country enough to be qualified as country and embraced by country fans, quite like American country duo Maddie & Tae. Daniels has 'it,' whatever it is, and I would expect to continue to hear her popping up on Canadian country radio.
Best tracks: Old Piano, Go Back, Dream Without You (Acoustic), Still
Throwaway tracks: Take Me Outta The City
Overall rating: 4 crowns
Love songs are an often occurrence throughout this record, and often are acoustic guitar based. “So In Love” and “Still” are two of the best, both delicate songs that incorporate folk ad pop influences along with the acoustic base. They both take different perspectives on a relationship, the former track being a happy, sweet love song, while "Still" is an epic ballad. "Still" is the better and more powerful of the two, and qualifies as a true country ballad, one to the likes of "Someday When I Stop Loving You" by Carrie Underwood.
Leah Daniels has already been nominated for Rising Star by the CCMA’s, and won the CMAO award for Rising Star. She has a country sound that's pop enough to have radio appeal, but is country enough to be qualified as country and embraced by country fans, quite like American country duo Maddie & Tae. Daniels has 'it,' whatever it is, and I would expect to continue to hear her popping up on Canadian country radio.
Best tracks: Old Piano, Go Back, Dream Without You (Acoustic), Still
Throwaway tracks: Take Me Outta The City
Overall rating: 4 crowns
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