One of the biggest surprises of 2016 so far has been the sonic change in newcomer Kalie Shorr's music. Her last release, The Nashville Sessions had a pop and rock country blend, but it was much more rooted in the sounds and traditions of country music than her new release, and debut iTunes EP is. The Y2K Mixtape is heavily influenced by the pop sounds of the early 2000's, led by the opening track "Class of 2000." The EP introduces a new blend for Shorr, and a borderline country sound that will be sure to grab the attention of many people in the industry.
The pop country blend that Shorr has developed is both completely unique and completely appealing to today's country music audience. To be completely honest, there are some songs on this project that have no place on country radio or on a country record. I feel it necessary to point that out because of the fire that Shorr is going to get because of this fact. It will be publicity, but I'm not sure that it will always be the best publicity, especially from country purists. But this EP is lyric-based, and that unites every song, country or pop. The songwriting is what should save this EP from the normal 'it's not country' dispute. The only reason that I ever take part in that dispute is because when real, incredibly talented artists aren't being played on country radio because artists that aren't country at all are taking up the airtime, that's completely unfair. But Shorr doesn't quite fit into either the former or latter group, making her the perfect woman to start getting airplay on FM radio and continue throwing off the man heavy balance.
Shorr plays with different sounds most on the opening track of the EP, "Class of 2000" and later tracks "Outta My Mind" and "Strangers." The first song, "Class of 2000," currently proudly sitting in the Hot Tracks section of country iTunes, was the basis for the mixtape's title, and perfectly embodies the sounds of the era Shorr reminisces about. Easy to compare to Keith Urban's "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16," this has a pop-heavy pop country sound that sounds like it came straight out of the early 2000's pop scene. And since it seems like that was what Shorr was going for, I'd say she succeeded with this track.
"Outta My Mind" is the most interesting song on the EP, lyrically and sonically. The lyrics in this song are the strongest that Shorr has released in a fully produced track, with some killer lyrics in the verses like, "I haven't seen the sun in seven days / my shadow don't know what to do." The song is a mix between dance pop and country, and again leans more heavily on the pop influences than usually accepted, but it works remarkably well with this song. "Strangers" is more country radio friendly, because it's risqué, without being to explicit, and has a modern, R&B influenced production. Not Shorr's strongest track, but it will fulfill the need for a song built for country radio on the mixtape.
Shorr plays with different sounds most on the opening track of the EP, "Class of 2000" and later tracks "Outta My Mind" and "Strangers." The first song, "Class of 2000," currently proudly sitting in the Hot Tracks section of country iTunes, was the basis for the mixtape's title, and perfectly embodies the sounds of the era Shorr reminisces about. Easy to compare to Keith Urban's "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16," this has a pop-heavy pop country sound that sounds like it came straight out of the early 2000's pop scene. And since it seems like that was what Shorr was going for, I'd say she succeeded with this track.
"Outta My Mind" is the most interesting song on the EP, lyrically and sonically. The lyrics in this song are the strongest that Shorr has released in a fully produced track, with some killer lyrics in the verses like, "I haven't seen the sun in seven days / my shadow don't know what to do." The song is a mix between dance pop and country, and again leans more heavily on the pop influences than usually accepted, but it works remarkably well with this song. "Strangers" is more country radio friendly, because it's risqué, without being to explicit, and has a modern, R&B influenced production. Not Shorr's strongest track, but it will fulfill the need for a song built for country radio on the mixtape.
Although the minimally produced "Taken," is excellent, "Yesterday's News" and "Rearview" are the highlights of the project. The former is pop-country at its best. Written with Lacy Green and Jason Duke ("Dibs" by Kelsea Ballerini), Shorr uses the idea of news to describe a situation in which a relationship she was so clearly over came back to her. Sassy and spunky, this, after "Fight Like A Girl" could surely become one of Shorr's signature songs.
"Rearview" was written by the same trio that wrote Lena Stone's "Roses Are Red": Shorr, Stone and Morgan Dawson. The song is the most underproduced on the record, and the only real ballad. The lyrics are perfectly crafted, and it sounds like a 2008 Taylor Swift song (in the best way possible.) The line, "there's a reason that mirror is smaller than my windshield" is a different way to look at moving on, and it works beautifully in the context of this song.
The album closes on "Fight Like A Girl," Shorr's single, and one of the best songs to hit country radio in the last few years. It would have been nice to see Shorr run with this persona of a fighter for a little while longer, instead of switching to the Y2K persona, but even with the change in pace of this mixtape, the song and Shorr's music has continued to remarkably well on iTunes, Spotify, and radio, especially for an independent artist.
It is incredibly easy to be critical of this EP, just because of the heavy pop influence, as many iTunes reviewers have been quick to do. But once you delve into the lyrical content and the potential there is in Shorr to be an incredibly strong country artist or songwriter, the pop outer coating isn't as relevant. It's just the lyrics, which are what will keep fans listening to Shorr's music in years to come.
Best tracks: Yesterday's News, Rearview, Fight Like A Girl
Throwaway tracks: none
Overall rating: 4 ½ crowns
"Rearview" was written by the same trio that wrote Lena Stone's "Roses Are Red": Shorr, Stone and Morgan Dawson. The song is the most underproduced on the record, and the only real ballad. The lyrics are perfectly crafted, and it sounds like a 2008 Taylor Swift song (in the best way possible.) The line, "there's a reason that mirror is smaller than my windshield" is a different way to look at moving on, and it works beautifully in the context of this song.
The album closes on "Fight Like A Girl," Shorr's single, and one of the best songs to hit country radio in the last few years. It would have been nice to see Shorr run with this persona of a fighter for a little while longer, instead of switching to the Y2K persona, but even with the change in pace of this mixtape, the song and Shorr's music has continued to remarkably well on iTunes, Spotify, and radio, especially for an independent artist.
It is incredibly easy to be critical of this EP, just because of the heavy pop influence, as many iTunes reviewers have been quick to do. But once you delve into the lyrical content and the potential there is in Shorr to be an incredibly strong country artist or songwriter, the pop outer coating isn't as relevant. It's just the lyrics, which are what will keep fans listening to Shorr's music in years to come.
Best tracks: Yesterday's News, Rearview, Fight Like A Girl
Throwaway tracks: none
Overall rating: 4 ½ crowns
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