Album Review – Emily Nenni’s “On The Ranch”
Nobody would ever volunteer to be dosed with the desire to make old school honky tonk music as an occupation in this day and age. It’s most definitely not the easiest path to fame and leisure. That’s how you know that anyone doing it is coming from a place of passion. They don’t do it because they want to, necessarily. They do it because it’s in them and it has to come out. That doesn’t mean they can’t have a hell of a time doing it though, and that’s what comes through in the throwback country music of Emily Nenni.
Originally from California, Emily felt the calling towards old school country music so resolutely, she dropped everything and moved to Nashville where she didn’t know a soul. Gifted in singing and writing songs though, she fell in with the right crowd around Nashville’s true country institutions such as Robert’s Western World and Santa’s Pub, bribing her way onto the stage of the former by bringing baked goods to the bouncers and staff. Now Emily Nenni has become a mainstay of Nashville’s country music revivalist community, and a valued contributor.
Nenni is no newcomer to the studio. She released a debut LP in 2017 and has a couple of EPs as well, but her new album On The Ranch is in many ways Emily’s opportunity to step out of the shadows of east Nashville scene and make a bid for national recognition with Normaltown/New West Records behind her. Emily’s believers hope this is the album that lands her on the throwback country music depth charts, and it just might have the muster to do that.
Like so many of Nashville’s younger-aged, but older-souled artists, Emily Nenni makes a neotraditonal style of country music, emulating all the old greats that so much of Music City has forgotten or moved on from. Though Nashville has been Emily Nenni’s base of operations for some years now, the album was written when she decided to relocate to the ranch of her producer Mike Eli out in Colorado to help out around the place, hence the name, On The Ranch.
Nenni will admit herself that she’s no cowgirl, but she makes On The Ranch unique by incorporating Western themes into her classic Nashville influences, like in the opening song “Can Chaser” about female barrel racers. Refusing to be tamed is a recurring theme of the album. Nenni maybe be a ravenesque chanteuse with a come hither quality to her, but as she explains via the song “In The Mornin’,” you better not get yourself too attached.
On The Ranch is a fun, escapist album, cutting a cool country vibe, and finding fusion points with a few funky sounds along with 80s and 90s influences. It’s also fair to characterize the experience as one that leans more on style and finesse than strong songwriting and teary moments. It’s a bit more interpretation than authenticity. Emily Nenni would probably concur, looking to strike more of a more playful tone than trying to impress the stuffy Americana crowd. That doesn’t mean she can’t express something a little deeper and clever in the right moments, like in one of the album’s hidden gems, “The Rooster And The Hen.”
Leaving a string of broken hearts in her wake, and bringing a lively enthusiasm to vintage country, Emily Nenni proves that evoking older sounds into new country music doesn’t have to result in a fuddy-duddy feeling. It can be invigorating and fun, while also fulfilling all of those old soul requisites of hearkening back to a more gratifying era in country music.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7.5/10)
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November 4, 2022 @ 9:47 am
I love your page because I learn about so much great music I may have missed otherwise. Thank you for what you do Trigger!
Also there’s a huge country loving crowd in the Western U.S. and Canada, and it seems like Nashville so often only wants to tell stories of life in the South, yet forgets what a vital role the West has played and does play in the development of country music. Thank heavens for artists like Ian Munsick, Jon Pardi, Dierks Bentley, and Miranda Lambert bringing that western vibe to the masses. This is another quality album that places you in that western space, and I’d love to hear more of it in country music.
November 4, 2022 @ 11:03 am
Good call. I think equally as important are some of the artists you don’t hear much about on the big stage that I believe are integral to that western sound/vibe. Guys like Jesse Daniel and Gethen Jenkins are two great examples of western country at it’s finest.
November 4, 2022 @ 12:43 pm
I liked her since I heard the song in your playlist. Anxious to listen to the rest.
November 4, 2022 @ 1:13 pm
Caught her in concert a few weeks ago opening for Kelsey Waldon. Such a lovely tone to her voice. One of my favorite new discoveries of the year so far.
November 4, 2022 @ 2:27 pm
I ask you Trigger, what makes you give a 7.5/10? In my opinion its a 10/10. I’m also a huge Emily Nenni fan and have been listening to the album for a couple weeks when I got in on vinyl at a show in Denver with Kelsey Waldon. I think its also important to point out that Teddy and Rough Riders backed on this album, as she did on their latest album. I didn’t really seem to find any answers on why you gave it that score in your review more of just a review of her, Emily Nenni and how she made it in Nashville. I’d love to hear more of what you thought of like each song. This review seems short. Thanks Trigger
November 4, 2022 @ 5:39 pm
If it’s a 10/10 to your ears, that’s all that matters.
I really don’t have many criticisms of this album. The only thing is, like I said in the review, the songs and the album itself felt like they relied more on style than substance. The songwriting just didn’t really compel me a ton, which is why I didn’t really remark on it too much. It’s more these vignettes of life “On The Ranch” as opposed to some deep reflection on life. There’s nothing bad about that, it just doesn’t foster a ton of discussion.
My reviews are longer than most anyones, though I agree this is a shorter review for me. Overall I thought it was a very good album and wanted to highlight it. I just didn’t have a ton to say about it. Whenever I write my first feature on an artist, I always like to delve into their background to establish their personal narrative for future coverage.
November 4, 2022 @ 3:23 pm
Every time I listen to anything Emily Nenni, I’m reminded of Charlie Crockett’s original work. I have no idea why, but curious if anybody else hears it.
Good stuff from her as always.
November 4, 2022 @ 5:47 pm
I can hear that. I think both of them rely more on style than deep songwriting. There’s an element of showmanship there. Nothing wrong with that. But it’s country meant to hearken back to a time and evoke nostalgia.
November 5, 2022 @ 7:06 am
I first learned of her a few weeks ago when I saw her open for Charlie Crockett, so maybe he’s rubbed off in her.
November 4, 2022 @ 4:54 pm
Great voice.
Horrible production
November 5, 2022 @ 1:15 pm
what about the production bothers you? I think its great
November 5, 2022 @ 6:08 pm
Too reverb-y.
Too echo-ey.
But, sincerely glad that you like the production.
November 5, 2022 @ 1:29 am
agree it’s more style than substance but it’s a good funny ride and her singing voice is her own.
November 5, 2022 @ 7:19 am
I kinda have a love/hate thing with Emily Nenni. I first heard her music a few years ago. Though she is not especially talented vocally, I was drawn to her style of Outlaw Honky Tonk, a style I feel is underserved by female country artists. Her vocals grew on me and she became a regular listen for me. However, after following her on social media for updates on music and touring, her constant political posts and anti police messaging kind of soured her for me.
I listened to the album yesterday and it is good. Would love to see more female’s in country at least explore this style. But I still find myself torn between enjoying the music, while trying to keep out my mind that I am supporting an artist who is promoting an agenda that I disagree with both politically and on a personal level.
November 5, 2022 @ 8:18 am
“She’s woke as fuck” would have been a more succinct way of putting it.
I agree with you by the way. Her live show is completely ruined by the constant interjection of far left political sloganeering.
November 5, 2022 @ 8:44 am
I’ve interacted with her a few times on social media. Honestly, she was very friendly. And as I said, I do like her music quite a bit. But I just can’t help but have in the back of my mind that by supporting her I am helping her to more success, and therefore a larger platform for her views.
November 6, 2022 @ 5:13 am
So she doesn’t deserve more success because she has differing political views than you?
November 6, 2022 @ 6:16 am
Not differing political views. If I stopped supporting and listening to artists who have different political views than myself, I could probably remove half of my music library. I’ve seen political posts from several artists that I don’t agree with, yet I continue to support them and follow them on social media.
I won’t repost Emily’s posts on her anti-police stances and give her opinions further audience through me. I stopped following her around a year ago, but if she hasn’t removed her posts, you can go see for yourself. But I will say her posts go beyond just the typical support for current Democrat causes. To say they are distasteful is an understatement. Therefore my reluctance to help support the success of someone who is willing to use their platform for this type of message.
November 9, 2022 @ 8:13 pm
Interesting. I’m also a fan, with no sense of her belief system until you drew me to it. Now I like her a lot more and appreciate her bravery and confidence, particularly in this genre. That’s social media for ya. This is outlaw country isn’t it?
November 9, 2022 @ 8:27 pm
I’m glad I helped you in solidifying your fandom with Emily. I respect your right to support an agree with her, or disagree with me. I have no problem with Emily having an opinion either. I’m just not all that comfortable helping her achieve a platform to promote it, even though I suppose I have anyway.
And you’re right, it’s outlaw. I wonder if you are comfortable supporting other outlaw artists who have differing opinions than yours? Like say Creed Fisher or Mickey Lamentia, who happens to work in law enforcement.
Enjoy the album.
November 10, 2022 @ 2:19 pm
Well, since you specifically asked me- Fisher is in my opinion a hack who makes fundamentally bad jingoistic music. I wouldn’t put him in the outlaw tradition- a sub-stage at a rural state fair seems about right, but I’m sure his songs are getting picked up due to his message, rather than quality.
I think Lamentia’s music has gotten significantly better and more interesting in his career, more nuanced, and I consider him closer to the tradition.
I would pay to see Lamentia if he was on the road with a good band. Fisher, no- in my experience those aren’t safe crowds- best expressed at something like Sturgis. The patriot/outlaw is an interesting position worth discussing, but not in his case. I’d catch Nenni, particularly when out with Kelsey Walden, in a heart beat- great young bands soaked in the tradition, not within a country mile of the country rock new sound. The genre could support more women, a touch more diversity than big dudes with beards and tats in general (written as a big bearded dude with tats)
November 10, 2022 @ 2:30 pm
I’ll agree with you on having more women in the Outlaw/Honky Tonk genre. In fact I mentioned exactly that in my first post. I’m a big fan of Kasey’s as well. An example of somebody I probably disagree with politically, but still support.
November 10, 2022 @ 2:32 pm
Kelsey
November 5, 2022 @ 12:21 pm
I’ve given this a couple of spins and I do like it, just not sure there’s room for any more albums in the flooded with new release rotation. Sorry I missed her a few weeks ago when she was here with Kelsey Waldon. I won’t miss her when she comes back. I try not pay attention to any artists political yackings online but I’m sure in a live setting I wouldn’t care for it even if I agree with them.
November 6, 2022 @ 6:02 am
To the comments above, I don’t need to agree with an artists political views to listen to their music. As long as there’s not hateful views, crank up the music!
November 7, 2022 @ 5:21 pm
Did you mean rubenesque? Writing critics all around.
November 7, 2022 @ 5:29 pm
No, I meant ravenesque. It’s a word I invented 🙂 . It means a dark beauty with a hint of mystery, taking on the qualities of a raven and the constellation Corvus.
November 8, 2022 @ 10:28 am
Kyle likes them dusky gals…