Ashley Monroe - Like a Rose POLL

a certifiably classic album imo

At my friend's wedding this weekend he played "Like a Rose."

but yeah this album already feels like a classic. "Used" or "Two Weeks Late" for me.

'the morning after' is just incredible too. but there are half a dozen out of the nine i'd vote for.

think this is "you got me"

In terms of female led country music albums that i loved last year i initially thought this was kinda minor in comparison to the Kacey Musgraves and Brandy Clark albums; however, i now think this is the best of the three and certainly the one i return to the most.

Voting 'You Got Me' although i pretty much love all the tracks at this stage bar the closer.

oh by far. I don't rate the B. Clark album.

Clark's a much better writer than singer -- nice enough voice, but not a lot of personality. Not sure I'd take this over Kacey, I probably like them about the same, both good records with some great songs. Voted "Two Weeks Late."

That's the problem: the thing was like a No Depression record.

Hard choice but I went with "You Got Me."

"two weeks late" was the song that sold me on this album, but lately the ones i tend to go back to most are "like a rose" and "she's driving me out of your mind." such a great album.

people who complain about brandy clark's self-effacing performances are totally missing the point, way to hold her album to a standard she's explicitly NOT reaching for. 12 stories is probably my favourite of last year's holy country trinity.

wrt ashley, torn between the tender empathy with which she repurposes a misogynist slur on "used", each metaphor underlining her point in increasingly moving ways that reveal more of how it's been used against the narrator, or "you got me" for...THAT MELODY

The great thing about the Brandy Clark album is how she manages to imbue the characters within the songs with so much personality in such a short space of time.

lex, I can't get past what a bore Clark is as a signal; it turns even the most thoughtful songs into exercises.

*singer

i can't imagine how else those songs could be performed to improve them. she's not boring, she's self-effacing

on her best songs ("Just Like Him", "What'll Keep Me Out of Heaven") her singing hits the mark emotionally ("mama wasted hurrrrr youth on"), but on "Hold My Hand" (the other great song on the album) her singing is too drab, and the arrangement drags along with her. if she could fill those empty spaces with her voice it would work but she doesn't.

those are three great songs though

Thin line between self-effacing and anonymous. I like a lot of the songs on Clark's album, I think she's a very good writer. But think about what Miranda or Carrie (or Ashley or Kacey) could do with "Hungover" or "Stripes" or "The Day She Got Divorced" -- you'd get layers of anger or humor or resignation or relief that Clark doesn't give them. She relies on the words to tell the stories. Which is why she's more a writer than a singer.

here I voted "Like A Rose". love this album to pieces. the only one I sometimes skip is "Monroe Suede"

"You Got Me", but so much here is great.

I love how easily Ashley can turn on a dime from such broad country performances to absolute unshaded vulnerability. What strikes me about her is her simultaneous range and control, every performance feels utterly suited to the song it inhabits.

i think i've been playing this a lot (too much?) lately, i just heard my 3 yr old muttering "she's a little fuller/you're a lot shorter" while playing with his train set.

The title track for me by hair over You Got Me. Both are spectacular.

Gave some support to "Two Weeks Late," but the duet with Shelton is the only track on the album that I don't care for.

Overall, I prefer Like a Rose to 12 Stories, but not by a huge margin-- both were in my top 5 on my Nashville Scene ballot last year. I love what Monroe does with narrative voice and how she's built a singular POV as an artist, whereas I generally prefer Clark's economic use of language and her singing
voice.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

My pick won!

Great! That's my favourite as well.

http://uverse.com/music/artist/ashley-monroe-country-deep?play=genex-drm___GX_CD2886_ASSET

new song!

Old song, but great song. Saw her perform it on the Ten Out of Tenn tour in 2010 (?), and she blew everyone else off the stage.

how she sings the lines...

I know I'm not some bright and shiny
Polished up
Car that's sparkling new
Right off the salesroom floor

...is just next level, idk.

but really, that whole song

I love the new single, co-written with Luke Laird. It's a better "Lotta Love."

http://tasteofcountry.com/ashley-monroe-on-to-something-good/

yeah thumbs up for this!

bit obsessed with this now actually, what a brilliant song

"the winding of the road is steadying my soul" <3

That line stood out, more so with that quasi-disco backing.

it gives me the kind of rush that i don't get from eg the new carly rae

that's very nice. I like hearing a song as upbeat as this from a woman; feels like taking something good from bro-country without conceding its topical vices. Vince Gill is producing the record too!

she's on to something good, you might say

This is great! Love Ashley so much.

Vince Gill is producing the record too!

! Hope he plays on it! Vince Gill underrated/overlooked/not cool but usually great.

not Ashley related but Vince Gill's performance at George Jones' funeral is devastating

This Ashley Monroe interview is from a couple of years ago, but i don't see it posted anywhere. It's utterly fantastic and gives a great insight into her lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G05f5nsvh7k

only just caught up with the two new pre-release songs and holy shit this album (THE BLADE) is going to be good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyFD-YevcEM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HO86LNKx7c

24 july!

Re "The Blade" – now here's a way to invigorate a tired metaphor with an unexpected spin (unlike, say, most of the Musgraves album).

great album title, right? and even better when you hear the metaphor

"i buried your love alive" - never thought ashley would be interested in the gothic side of country but here we are and it's excellent

new album streaming. it's MAGNIFICENT

http://www.npr.org/2015/07/15/422555795/first-listen-ashley-monroe-the-blade

"dixie" is especially whoa

"If Love Was Fair" is my jam. Sounds like early eighties Fleetwood Mac.

Yeah this is v good. Better than the first probably.

sounds good so far, little sleepy

It's not better -- this one has two duds.

going to try to figure out which

yeah i heard no outright duds, "mayflowers" might be a bit inessential (or maybe i'm just skipping it bc i'm itching to get to "i'm good at leavin")

(i love how it starts and ends with ashley leaving, and in between are mostly the reasons why)

"From Time to Time" and "Bombshell" are the duds imo.

I knew w/out looking at the credits that Lambert had a hand in writing "I'm Good at Leavin'."

"Bombshell" are the duds imo.

the goddamn hell

and the chorus melody of "from time to time" is gorgeous

I'm going to wait to hear this until I have the record in my hand. The only new records I ever buy these days are women country singers. Was Bandy Clark's 12 Stories released on record? I wish that Angaleena Presley's 'American Middle Class' had been released on record.

i hope the vinyl is a decent pressing. i'll probably buy this on CD first, though. 'like a rose' has yet to leave heavy rotation in my car cd player.

the two pistol annies albums are both on vinyl. i should buy those.

"From Time to Time" and "Bombshell" are the duds imo.

no no NO these are not duds!

yes yes yes!

They are so not duds---"Bombshell" is where she shifts from an initial impression of a tendency to stasis---where you get it all, and maybe get hooked, in the first verse and chorus, then stick around, to increasingly, if vaguely, diminishing returns, as the mind starts to wander---shifts to a more dynamic, moody yet sufficiently gravitational speculation: drop it on him now? How, "It's never a good time for a bombshell," but she's still checking her options...haven't heard a song about this situation, so in that respect, as well as the actual sound, I make a mental note for my future mix, The Great Lost Pistol Annies Album.
"From Time To Time" (like several on here)might be another one for the same destination, although in this case, the multiple Monroes have more of a post-Beatles/Fleetwood Mac/Dixie Chickc/Courtyard Hounds/multiple solo Maines/Mona Lisa: real friendly and slightly exotic (which is a friendly warning not to take friendliness for granted).
Despite her turning the pages in the stylebook--without trying to hide it---this set is more emotionally and/or sensually involving than Like A Rose.
Her debut, Satisfied, is also engaging---it's uneven, but the best tracks, written when she was a teen and maybe even a tween, are adolescent adventures in the best sense.

Stasis creeps back in on "If The Devil Don't Want Me," maybe some of the other second-half tracks too, but they (and the better ones nearby) are still strong enough to keep me hangin' around, if not on.

"bombshell" is a great concept executed really well, dow nails it. and it fits in really well with the overarching themes.

"from time to time" i find really powerful, as much for what's not in the song (that i've heard yet) as what's in it...there are secrets and darknesses beneath its tenderness. and as brad says it's just a straight-up gorgeous melody.

Despite her turning the pages in the stylebook--without trying to hide it---this set is more emotionally and/or sensually involving than Like A Rose.

agree with this too; it builds on like a rose so well, takes its strengths and fleshes them out, pushes them in multiple unexpected directions

And again, with the Pistol Annies-associated knack for fresh topics: considering that your love was (def past tense) "heaven," then, if the devil don't want her, where can she go? Purgatory? Celibacy? Just everyday numbnuts office bus station cafeteria reality? It's a good question, long as she can keep asking it, and putting off the answers.

http://www.spin.com/2015/07/review-ashley-monroe-the-blade/

i'm seeing her live tonight at an NPR first listen show; looking forward to it obviously

hope it doesn't bury your love alive

i'm planning on catching it by the handle.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20813-the-blade/

not sure ilxors will like the content of that review, but nice that p4k has reviewed another not too alt-y album favourably

Alfred's review is a lot more fun to read because it doesn't waste time justifying/indiesplaining the genre

Like so many country albums, especially recent ones by Monroe's friend and bandmate Miranda Lambert, The Blade could be stronger if it was more streamlined and sequenced with some kind of overarching narrative in mind

haha yeah that sentence is not great

amazing how the integrity of the album must be preserved and nurtured at all times

and that this album lacks a narrative

Now Sgt. Pepper's, there's proper narrative for you

dammit should've done Now that's what I call music pun...

I take it as a break-up album, purt' near. Maybe with a few relatively mellow memories, but basically, she's moved/moving on (Tex in her rear-view mirror, fair amount of distance already). Not cold, but details are more in the music than the lyrics (no gory)

But also, it's past time for the country Sgt. Pepper's! "He blew his mind out in a truck..."

or if it's Miranda Lambert it's "I blew his brains in a truck."

it was 20 years ago today / mutt lange taught the band to play

xp blew out, or just blew bc depending on the lambert song could be either tbh

i mean the lyric of "bombshell" is incredible on its own

embodying all of the scenarios in which one could possibly deliver bad news, none of which manage to soften it

"bombshell" is fantastic. everything about it.

it'll never be a good time

album confirms my theory that she was the best of the class of 2013

album confirms my theory that she is the center of gravity for "nashville," the tv show. they've used a bunch of her songs but, jesus, every song on this album is perfect for one character or another. it helps, of course, that breaking up is every "nashville" character's favorite activity.

New album is now on Spotify.

OK fine I like "Bombshell."

amazing how the integrity of the album must be preserved and nurtured at all times

I get the sarcasm, but I also think as long as acts keep releasing collections of songs presented as albums, I will keep listening to them as such. Tbh, I really wish bands and acts of all ilk would resume releasing stand-alone singles that aren't just trailers for the record. It would shake things up nicely and give acts something to promote between major release cycles.

here's the show i went to last week; well worth a watch
http://www.npr.org/event/music/427418193/watch-ashley-monroe-perform-live-in-concert

plus the accompanying ann powers interview
http://www.npr.org/event/music/427418621/i-love-the-truth-ashley-monroe-in-conversation

this is a goddamn great album

listening to it + events of recent months combined to incite some serious albeit cathartic ugly crying this morning, yeesh

this might be my favorite album of the year. "if love was fair" and the title track just floor me. seeing her in october

When you live in a big city, waiting for country acts to play in the city limits must be what it's like for someone in middle of nowhere Alabama waiting for Yo La Tengo or something.

She just played the Historic 6th & I Synagogue in Washington DC tonight (where she is not getting much country radio support). Good but short show. Emphasis on the new album (and her voice seemed stronger on those cuts live) but also a Pistol Annies song, and cuts from her other efforts. Sadly, no "If Love Was Fair."

Sadly, no "If Love Was Fair."

I know!! My favorite song on the album and she skipped it. Great show otherwise

saw her in nyc. really nice show. encored with "games people play."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C47v_6B5h60

still one of the albums of the year

Yes. X-post--She did the same encore in DC. Her introduction for "On to Something Good" was something like "Here's one of my few positive songs," while later for another song she specifically noted how Miranda Lambert had a hit with "my song, but it wasn't me doing it." But she didn't come across as negative; just humble and self-deprecating and these are the facts. Nice story about Guy Clark and the writing of "Like a Rose," friendly comments about walking around Washington D.C.

The 1200 or so seat room was not full, but there was a sizable crowd. I also had an extra ticket I could not unload. She is not getting lots of country radio play (and this weeknight gig was in downtown DC not in the burbs where mega-arena shed country shows take place), and it seems that folks I know into alt-country also are not interested or something. She also doesn't have that crossover aspect that Kacey Musgraves has.

yes, she introduced a song as one she had tried hard to sell to radio with limited results. "but that's ok, to you guys it's a hit!" i also wondered wonder if she's gearing up for the americana marketplace. i notice she guested on don henley's recent austin city limits appearance along with trisha yearwood, martina mcbride, etc.

Seems like they are trying to market her to the Americana audience now. She seems willing to guest with lots of folks-- gets her name out there. Henley lately; previously Train; years back Jack White & Raconteurs; Wanda Jackson. Nashville tv show too, I think was mentioned upthread.

i think every one of my favourite artists this year has been rejected by radio

she didn't win any grammys, huh? i saw that stapleton won, which reminded me that i should sell my copy of 'traveller' (it's not my thing, i tried.)

'platinum' & 'american middle class' & 'the blade' are almost unfairly good in such different ways, such complete works and listenable all the way through. i can't even say which one of the best though 'the blade' is the one i've listened to the most in recent months (not just because it's most recent.)

incredible gig tonight for her uk debut, and one of the most rapturous receptions i've ever seen from a non-teenage audience for any artist - who knew london loved her so much? different stages of their careers but this outdid the (warm) welcome kacey musgraves got on her uk debut in 2013.

miranda lambert came out for the encore (in a 350-capacity venue) and they duetted on "the blade" and "heart like mine"!!!

and ashley debuted one new song she wrote last week and it was incredible, haunting folk in the vein of "run daddy run"

oh man -- I wish I'd been there

New duet with Butch Walker. It's lovely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYScY9kH8xE&feature=youtu.be

New song coming out Monday. The few seconds of it she shared on her FB today sounds promising! New album soon I guess?

Sorry, coming out Friday.

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/28951265_10155407680889290_7681142563255877632_o.jpg?oh=a55b438760efa76d942b96783ba098f4&oe=5B4E05C3

HI DERE

https://media.giphy.com/media/26FPCiMhLiRosby3m/giphy.gif

https://www.npr.org/2018/04/12/601100251/first-listen-ashley-monroe-sparrow

at the v least the first song on this is crazy gorgeous

halfway through and it's sounding fantastic so far

the arrangements are *lush*

huh. i know i say this every time about every record i remotely like but this might be my fav this year. dark indeterminate left turn of the bridge in "rita" is what sealed it

oh god this is out already? I can't handle this release schedule.

it's out next friday alfred

the strings on this album are so wild

first listen – oh god

I've lived with "Hands on You" for a month.

from the first note i was making dusty in memphis comparisons, not sure how justified they are

oh my god album of the year

it's like diving into an abyss lined w shimmering gold

guess i could do w/o "daddy i told you" but otherwise

it is ridiculous how great she is

i'm gonna fall in love with all of these songs

This album is amazing.

Ashley's voice is so distinct and so completely defines her material. Like at times I get the sense that she could keep pushing in the country-soul direction and end up having some kind of Norah Jones-like crossover success if she wanted to, but then I wonder if her voice is almost too charged for that to happen.

I hate NPR streams, so I'm just getting to this now on Spotify. A pure delight!

can y'all imagine a Trio update with Monroe, Womack, and Lambert?

this is gorgeous & I will be listening again and again and again.

I was trying to think of how she could hit & ok, maybe a Norah Jones direction could work, but yes, her singing isn't smooth exactly, she cries, in that way she's like Tammy Wynette & Tammy never crossed over (except with the KLF, lol).

oh my god album of the year

― lowercase (eric), Thursday, April 12, 2018 8:16 AM (one week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I'm stiffening a little -- some songs are rote ("Keys to the Kingdom") -- and to my ears the Womack album last year does elegantly wasted over more varied subject matter than this one. Still! A fine album.

i can sort of see that re "keys to the kingdom"? but also it'd be one of my favorites for the bass alone, and the way the drums form a sort of path of stones under her is so lovely

i think "paying attention" is my favorite but i've been listening to "mother's daughter" an inordinate amount

first time through i thought it could've used a couple more tricks in the second half, but it was still lovely to hear

New album sounds great. Maybe not as good as last year's Lee Ann Womack, but still great, a nice balance of '70s tropes and more contemporary ideas, and it's nice to hear such active string arrangements.

going to see her tonight in a 160 capacity venue here in Los Angeles. pretty excited!

As well you should. We order you to report back.

Reporting back — she is phenomenally good live, and if anything her voice is even more impressive in person.

She played almost entirely songs from her new album, except for a completely perfect “Weed Instead of Roses” and a cover of “Too Much Heaven” by The Bee Gees segueing into her own song “This Heaven.” We were about twenty feet from the stage. She only played an hour since they double booked the main stage, but it was a perfect show. She played with a full band, completely confident and assured and extremely funny and charming. I feel pretty fortunate to have seen her in that setting!

i was there too and i can confirm all of that. one of my friends who was not familiar with her complained that she opened with an upbeat song ("hands on you"), closed with the upbeat "weeds instead of roses," and was decidedly not upbeat in between. i thought she was on fire all the way through, but i do get the complaint. but i loved.

Oh right on, cuz. I was near the back left hanging out. She was definitely on fire, and i gotta say that show made me wish more country artists would take a flyer and play a random small club date in L.A. like that.

I could see her throwing a couple more barnburners in there like Monroe Suede but it’s all good.

'For your consideration' bump

Apparently she's left Warner Nashville.

New album's out today and solid -- drum machines!

starting my second time through and i was really resistant to it until I got to Drive and found the whole back end engaging and now the front end is growing on me. I may need to roll with it a few times, which is hard with the new Dawn Richard out... but I'm trying!

if you only heard the instrumentals you would never guess this was the new ashley monroe album. I like it a lot so far.

first track i was like “this is a great follow up to last year’s vanessa carlton record”

Yeah, its defining quality is that it doesn't sound like Ashley Monroe so that's part of what I'm coming to terms with.

Fave track thus far - and a good representation of her new style - is probably 'Groove'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do_An3ovR5A

“silk” is the most beautiful song

'Gold' and 'See' and 'The New Me' are sort of the epitomes of what i don't like about this shift but I need to be more patient with not letting the few clunkers put me off the enjoyable tracks

what’s wrong with “see”

feels aimless and weightless and somnambulent

that chorus is from heaven tho

she sounds heavenly everywhere tho

btw, this came out last week and is on heavy rotation at chez forks. as good or better than anything on the album imo but has gotten zero attention
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT8DKJHniSI

"Gold" is actually the lamest song -- the chorus just...sits there.

I totally missed the news that she had been diagnosed with NHL a few years back, but it sounds like she us since made a full recovery and this implies (without ever quite confirming) that a new album is on the way:

https://au.news.yahoo.com/ashley-monroe-her-musical-fresh-171500939.html

I also missed the single from late last year “Over Everything” which (a) suggests a partial-but-not-total return to country; and (b) is lovely.

I found Rosegold a bit too deliberate in its shift at times; this feels a bit more comfortable while still occupying a pretty gauzy, atmospheric space.

Oh wow, didn't know that stuff either. Glad she's on the mend

https://x.com/ashleymonroe/status/1770813962164019203?s=20