Rising star Hannah Anders' album "Evolution" is available on all digital download and streaming platforms now. The Nashville singer-songwriter's debut LP dropped January 22, roughly six months after the July release of the lead single, "Break Us." Prior to signing with Spectra Music Group last June, Anders had put out a few independent releases, including her 2017 holiday EP "Coming Home for Christmas" and "Lazy River," a track whose 2019 remix features country rapper SMO.
On this latest release, we hear the powerhouse vocalist interpret her country and rock influences through the lens of her Southern upbringing. Complete with fiddle solos and prominent overdriven guitar, "Evolution" has something to offer for fans of either genre. Without a doubt, Anders' storytelling is something that will appeal to listeners of all stripes.
Anders wastes no time before demonstrating her musical range. "Break Us," the opening track, puts listeners in the audience at an acoustic jam. Just as soon as you're ready to peg the tune as a pared-down pop ditty, Anders springs into the chorus, accompanied by driving drums and electric guitar. This rocking anthem may very well break Anders into the mainstream.
With aggressive, compressed country guitar and violin, "Southern Free" brings out the more traditional side of Anders' country-infused sound. The lifelong singer and animal lover was born in Houston and raised in a small town north of Atlanta on an 18-acre ranch with goats and horses. Her fondness for where she grew up certainly comes through in this song. Between references to F150s and the affinity she expresses for Jack Daniels, it's clear that Anders still holds the country lifestyle near and dear to her heart despite having moved to the city after high school to pursue her career in music.
No matter how far she may have strayed from her Georgia roots, Anders still enjoys a rough and rowdy good time. The next two tracks tell tales of late nights spent partying and drinking. Both highlight Anders' knack for penning clever lyrics."Paint the Town" explores a time the narrator can't quite remember, but treasures nonetheless. After a few shots, she didn't just paint the town -- she made it bleed. Tongue firmly in cheek, Anders goes on to sing about a bartender who just so happens to become more and more attractive with each round. "Drinking Him Wonderful" fills in an interesting gap in the country music landscape, one that could easily be described as sis-country.
"Like a Lady" paints the picture of quite a different kind of lover. The subject of this slide guitar-heavy track is a man who goes to great lengths to treat his girl right. This ode to a cherished partner comes to a gentle stop as pedal steel paves the way for "Outside Looking In."
In yet another show of versatility, Anders delivers a poignant ballad mourning the demise of a seemingly picture-perfect relationship. In an emotional performance, she laments that though a couple may look "so good on paper," oftentimes, a lot of heartache goes unnoticed, since no one captures the hard days in pictures or calls to talk about when things are going wrong.
The next three tracks mark a return to the familiar themes of raising hell and embracing your southern pride. "While I Still Got Time" would sound right at home on a "Better Dig Two"-era The Band Perry record. "Redneck Riding Hood" puts a novel spin on the classic fairytale by telling the story of a tough Southern girl driving a red-hooded car and her encounter with a man from Wolfies Bar. "Turn It Up" is bound to be a hit among everyone who likes "a little bit of rock 'n' roll mixed with their country sound."
"Crazy Train" puts Anders' remarkable ability to turn a phrase on display once again. She uses the metaphor of a "full-speed and hellbound" locomotive to describe an ex who's headed "east of insane." Anders manages to deliver a genuinely creative take on a familiar concept.
The final track, "18," serves as the perfect conclusion to a phenomenal freshman effort. Anders reflects on all the ways, both good and bad, she's grown and changed since she was a teenager. Though she acknowledges that consequences carry more weight later on in adulthood, she appreciates the stronger sense of identity she now has and is grateful for the progress she made as a young woman with a "reckless head and a rebel heart."
"Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. Evolution is necessary," reads a post on Anders' Instagram page.
Only one album into what's sure to be a long and prosperous career, Anders has demonstrated that she has achieved all three, both personally and professionally.
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