Every once in a while, certain artists and musicians represent their respective genres at the perfect time. These groups or individuals hit the ground running, and take advantage of their short window of opportunity. They garner much needed energy, excitement and speculation when their category needs it the most, seemingly appearing out of nowhere like superheroes. It’s moments like these that rejuvenate our fascination and enthusiasm for the discovery of music, reminding us why we partake in this segment at all.
Ella Langley’s debut would result in a spontaneous success of a country album, outwardly created from the blue. These days, her mainstream success has been very warranted. But before a certain song of hers became draped all over local radio, her first album was equally stunning in its own way. ‘Hungover’ shines Langley in a different light before her exposure to popularity. The debut of Ella Langley’s career features her own brand of hard-nosed country, with a tough attitude that captivates its listeners with charisma. ‘Hungover’ displays youthful energy towards the country genre. This brings both exceptionally good, and somewhat bad elements to its overall verdict.
Like previously mentioned, the price of youth can be both a pro, and a con. In terms of the benefits, Langley is persuasive in her musical genesis due to her unique blend of a passionate, and soulful approach to the country music take. Throughout ‘Hungover’, there are many highlights and memorable tracks that inject a surging energy into her performance on record. For example, “You Look Like You Love Me” is easily a major highlight. The spoken-word verses, and the fitting male guest vocalist via Reily Green provide an interesting and unique dynamic, resulting in a creative, yet traditional method of writing good, fun country. Follow that by an undeniably catchy chorus, and the verdict results in a entertaining, lighthearted adventure that symbolizes Ella Langley’s highest qualities as a performer in a nutshell.
Analyzing the other highlights is worth noting. Langley’s debut is definitely a top heavy album. All of the best and most worthwhile moments seem to occur during the first portion of the record compared to its other half. “Better Be Tough” is a high energy country banger. It showcases Langley’s rough and tumble greenness that’s designed to be a fun listen. “Paint the Town Blue” is also a decent high point. This example is a song that could embody the expectation towards the sound in ‘Hungover’ as a whole.
Imperfections appear to be inevitable, regardless of the praise given beforehand. Besides the occasional filler, and some forgettable songs spotted in ‘Hungover’ every now and then, one critique that can be argued is the lyric writing process. Some of the themes and lyrical subject matter could be viewed as immature, shallow, and cringe. There are some vocal lines that would unsurprisingly have some listeners scratching their head in confusion. To combat this minor obstacle, Langley’s vocal delivery is well presented. Because of this, the vocals still sounds good regardless of these inconveniences. It may seem as a funny take, but as long as your vocals sound good, the substance of the lyrics can be forgiven. Langley’s routine lyrical themes of adolescent heartbreak can make, or break the audience. These points reflect on the previously mentioned narrative towards ‘Hungover’ as a young and bold record.
Later on, she would go on to transition from a country star to a pop phenomenon in a blink of an eye. From a commercial and business perspective, the album after this one would technically be more successful. Despite this predicament, her debut is much better from an artistic, and musical point of view. Although some may not realize it, ‘Hungover’ is a genuinely charming and playful country record, yet it could be taken seriously at the same time, even with its stereotypical young and innocent mishaps. It’s a country recording that shines with its genuine sincerity, despite the naïve tendencies. In the grand scheme of it all, ‘Hungover’ shows Ella Langley as a worthy addition to the country music class. However, her debut is not flawless. Langley is not exactly a revolutionary within her peers, but more complimentary towards the genre she became a part of. Regardless of its flaws, country music fans are bound to find something fun and enjoyable with Ella Langley’s dazzling debut.
