Kelly Steward self produced this debut full-length album with the help of her band's guitarist, Greg Whitson. It contains songs which are dubbed "neo-traditional country meditations that look back on her time as a single mother while also reflecting upon life now she's reached her early forties. Golden Sun takes her back to a journey from Los Angeles to her Midwest roots at the age of 19 with her baby.
Unfortunately, there's not much evidence that Kelly Steward has anything substantial to say on life or love other than to make predictable references linked to the song titles. For instance, Restless Kind is about a woman with a restless heart and No Time For Lovin' You is about having no time for loving a.n.other.
Outlaw is a little more ambitious; a twangy blues piece built around a fictional story of a man on the run after an accidental shooting. At least it's not as trite and lightweight as Generation that centres on false nostalgia for a time when Rock'n'Roll was supposedly not just about money.
|
Earthquake should, in theory, be more dramatic as it relates to victims of a natural disaster in Haiti in 2010 but the lame advice to those who have lost loved ones is "Hold on to your heart". The lack of depth is summed up by her glib message to a divided America in Mississippi Risin' when she sings “Hey we will be alright, Give us time”.
It's not that I was expecting great literature, but a few flashes of originality would help illicit greater empathy.
Kelly Steward's website
|
