Authentic. Sincere. Country.
Posted October 18, 2017
By MarcusHathcock_NRT,
Slide guitars, piano, organ, mandolin and good old fashioned storytelling--that's what you'll get from the classic country sounds brought to you by Debbie Cochran on her latest project, Born Again Wildflower.
The highlight of the project of course is the ambling duet with the one and only Dolly Parton on the title track, "Born Again Wildflower." It's fitting that the country legend would be on this record, as Cochran's record reflects faith-filled lyrics that embody the old guard of country music--evoking sounds of Tanya Tucker, early Reba McEntire, and yes, Parton.
Lyrically, Cochran uses this title track to talk about how the life of faith has led to a life of joy-filled risk: "I'm a born again wildflower / Dancing in April showers / Oh God, you rock my world when I rock my boat."
The record is full of ballads that are good for slow dancing, quiet reflection, and long sits on Cracker Barrel rocking chairs on the front porch. From the reflective and autobiographical "Bouquet of Roses" to the prescriptive "Pray It All Away" to the can't-we-all-just-get-along vibe to "Soak Up the Son," Cochran uses easygoing melodies and instrumentation to get across the things that are on her heart.
She deploys plenty of good one-liners throughout the record, with some of those even taking place in the song titles, such as "Crown of Thorns Grows Pretty Roses." Other lyrical gems include: "Red letters falling from the sky / Teaching me how to live and die" ("Red Letters Falling From the Sky") and "Soak up the son and drink the living water / Catch a second wind, look up and grow stronger" ("Soak Up the Son").
The honky-tonk "Lord Did I Miss the Rapture" is a definite highlight, on par with the Parton duet. It's a lighthearted song about some pretty heavy subject matter: the troubles facing the world. Cochran does a great job talking about how she's "sifting through the weeds," looking for "the seeds to greener pastures" amidst the craziness of the how "everyone's at each other's throats." Again, serious subject matter, but she deals with it so entertainingly!
The Bottom Line:
For fans of Southern Gospel or country music--particularly classic country music--Debbie Cochran's Born Again Wildflower will be just what the doctor ordered. At a time where Christian country music is hard to find, yet country music sounds more like mainstream pop every day, there's a certain authenticity and sincerity that comes with the musical, lyrical and production delivery of this record. If the stamp of approval by the titanic icon Parton isn't enough for you, a simple listen to this project will show you Cochran is filling a void many people didn't know existed in music today, and does so with peaceful ease.
Song to Download Now:
“Lord Did I Miss the Rapture” (Apple Music / Spotify)
View All Music And Book Reviews By MarcusHathcock_NRT | View MarcusHathcock_NRT's Profile
|
