Ashley Monroe - Like a Rose POLL

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