Courtney Marie Andrews

Old Flowers

A country album about heartbreak may not be the most novel proposition, but Courtney Marie Andrews has a way of making the archetypal feel brand new.

With the voice of Linda Ronstadt and songwriting gifts of Joni Mitchell, there simply isn't anything to dislike about Old Flowers.

Old Flowers is nevertheless an honourable contribution to the canon of heartbreak albums, the subject well suited to Andrews' delicate voice and disarmingly plain-spoken lyrics.

Old Flowers conclusively proves that Courtney Marie Andrews has reached a difficult to attain level, showing once again that the timeworn trope of “breaking up is hard to do” can be dreadfully unsettling personally but also creatively rewarding.

Breaking up is hard to to do, but at least Andrews’ has given us these exquisite songs.

Even the more pointed songs exude a warmth that suggests breaking up is hard to do, but it can be done with elegance and eloquence.

The album is as much of a reflection of the difficulty of separating and moving forward as it is any indication of what may have soured.

In some respects, Old Flowers could be called a shade too successful, since it casts a specific understated spell, but listened to in the right mood or hour of the day, it's a bewitching affair.

Even when she’s exhausted and heartbroken, Andrews is so eager to offer grace on Old Flowers, and that’s why this record will wreck you to your most tender core.

Old Flowers is a gorgeous, triumphant album of growth for Courtney Marie Andrews.

Continuing to imbibe her music with a remarkable pathos that has these new songs greeting the listener like familiar friends by the second spin, Courtney Marie Andrews keeps growing and Old Flowers is the fruit of this blossom.