Album Review: Morgan Wade – Obsessed
2 min read
The first time I listened to Morgan Wade’s debut album Reckless it took me back to some great nights out which had ended with a raucous country track. The raw power in her music and lyrics, as well as her Springsteen-esque presence, blew fresh air into the stagnated, ‘Swiftie’ obsessed Nashville scene. Her new album Obsessed, continues on very much the same track and does not disappoint.
She explores her fears and insecurities with simple grit but in a beautifully effective manner. The opening song, Total Control is reminiscent of Stevie Nicks’ Dreams. She combines her powerful and honest voice with dark post punk lyrics revealing a depth way beyond a run of the mill country star.
Time to Love, Time to Kill is Wade at her best. Her lyrical imagery is raw and poetic with an unpretentious and comedic approach to the finite nature of life. For example, “Time waits for no man, baby, time can go to hell”. Lyrics like these appear regularly as she dives headfirst into other dark themes in a bittersweet and childlike manner. She uses literary characters such as Hansel and Gretel to tell the story of a relationship going stale over time and Shakespeare’s Juliet in a western-inspired song exploring secret desires.
On the album she deals head on with her well documented struggles with alcohol, depression and cancer. However there are signs of optimism and a new lease of life which may be a result of a new relationship with a tabloid star. Moth to Flame, a song with a pared back acoustic accompaniment, is an ode to finding “the one”. Deconstruction is a McCartney inspired ballad with hard-hitting high notes and dominating piano chords celebrating the elation and security of a new relationship.
Obsession shows a real progression from her excellent debut album. It has more grit and power and superior song craft. Wade deserves to be heard beyond the confines of Nashville and, after her tour, there is no doubt she can rival Stapleton and Swift.
