Of this album’s 12 graceful, all equally important tracks, several bring new content to the country table.
Their focus on meaningful songwriting and infectious camaraderie lead to a project whose sum is greater than its parts.
What’s most impressive about The Highwomen... is how artfully, and matter-of-factly, it engages social issues.
The message, which is implicit nearly as often as it's explicit, may be at the forefront of The Highwomen, but the record's resonance lies in its deep emotions and sense of craft.
The album is both a call for change and a celebration of women in country music.
With their self-titled debut, The Highwomen prove themselves to be a versatile country supergroup with a unique perspective.
Rather than being a generation-defining statement, The Highwomen is merely a solid album of country songs created by some of the most talented women (and men) working today.
The Highwomen serves as a fitting thesis statement for the project, using the aesthetics of neotrad-country to unpack the group’s feminist concerns.
This is a much needed shot in the arm from talented female singer-songwriters.
While The Highwomen may not quite live up to its individual members best work, the group and their various collaborators and guest stars all bring strong songs and enthusiasm to the project.
Four voices aren’t always stronger than one, and the collegiate nature of the record leaves one yearning for a little more single-mindedness.
This is something of a treasure because we don't really get a supergroup in country like this anymore. I can't say that this is anything bad at all, in fact it's just solid country music and nothing more, done right, with the attitude, and full of great performances. Though I don't think anyone will refer back to this as a Traveling Wilburys sort of thing, because the musicians present here have much more powerful solo material than they do here.
What country music means to The Highwomen is a really palliative shot from the lackness of the female view on stereotyped songs about cowboys and trucks. This self-titled helps out to take a deeb breath and realize the current scenario, while beautiful harmozitations and sweets melodies companion yourself in this long strech of change.
FAVS: Redesigning Women, Crowded Table, Don't Call Me, My Only Child, Cocktail and a Song, Wheels of Laredo
LEAST FAV: Loose Change
Fav Tracks: Highwomen, Wheels Of Laredo, My Only Child, Cocktail and a Song, Old Soul, If She Leaves Me
On their self-titled debut - and only album to date - the country supergroup consisting of Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby, Brandi Carlile and Amanda Shires deconstruct gendered expectations sincerely and without pretension; addressing their role within society (with assistance from Yola) on the title track and the expectations of motherhood on 'My Name Can't Be Mama'.
But to focus entirely on the album's gender politics - as on-point as they may be - is to overlook how many other things there ... read more
Fav Tracks: Highwomen, Wheels Of Laredo, My Only Child, Cocktail and a Song, Old Soul, If She Leaves Me
#4 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
#5 | / | Us Weekly |
#8 | / | Billboard |
#8 | / | Vulture |
#10 | / | Rolling Stone |
#15 | / | Magnet |
#22 | / | Paste |
#26 | / | The Young Folks |
#27 | / | Sputnikmusic |
#33 | / | Consequence of Sound |