Album Review – Lindsay Ell’s “The Project”
I like the idea of Lindsay Ell. A badass guitar-slinging chick that can play her own leads and write her own songs is something that could really spice up the boring mainstream country music scene, and add a shot of adrenaline into the effort to give more women artists attention in the top reaches of the industry. Any woman who is willing to put herself out there and play leads immediately has my undying appreciation and undivided attention.
The problem with Lindsay Ell is the idea is not as good as the execution. It’s a very similar experience to Frankie Ballard in my opinion. You see Frankie in his plain white T-shirt and James Dean haircut with a guitar slung over his shoulder and think, “Well now maybe this is a guy I can dig in the mainstream.” Some songs may even show promise. But ultimately it’s the same bland mono-genre R&B proffered as country primarily because the performer is white.
There just isn’t any space for guitar players these days in the mainstream or independent realms of music to stretch their legs, country or otherwise, male or female. This is the age of the song, and the singer. Nobody cares if you can shred lead guitar. Guitar Hero bred an entire generation of master guitar players. That’s one of the reasons the rock format is dead, and nobody knows the names of all the faux hawked guitarists in pop country outfits playing licks to arenas. Perhaps fans appreciate the noise, but their attention is on the hunk at center stage singing hip hop-style verses through the Auto-tuner. Keith Urban may be one of the most proficient guitar players around, but you’d have no clue from listening to his last record and seeing him live.
Lindsay Ell has the chops, but that’s not what anyone’s looking for. To get her first official major label debut record The Project out through her Broken Bow imprint, she had to mostly sheathe the electric guitar, and act like she’s auditioning for a spot on The Voice instead, with R&B songs specifically. You still kind of want to root for her because she’s cool, and there was also that controversy where radio stations were canceling her appearances because of her relationship with Bobby Bones. Nobody should be discriminated against just because they have bad taste in men (I kid Bobby, I kid). Hell any artist without a pair a testes would be an improvement for country’s patriarchal arrangement these days.
But despite sincere efforts to want to relate or enjoy the songs of The Project, it’s just not that interesting, especially as you’re trying to digest it as country music. It’s similar to Maren Morris. Yes, there’s some catchy moments. But all the humility and homeliness of country has been replaced by urban sass and saucy drum loops. It really is just another mainstream country record. No, it’s not a record of songs that you writhe in pain from when they come on the radio in your cousin’s car like Sam Hunt inspires. It’s not offensive. It’s just mislabeled, and pretty generic.
That said, there are some moments where Lindsey Ell steps out and The Project does become a bit more interesting, like in the elongated 2-part song “Wildfire.” See now, this is what Lindsay Ell should be. It still isn’t country; it’s more rock than anything. But ‘Wildfire” highlights what makes Lindsay Ell unique and cool in music. The song was co-written by Kristian Bush of Sugarland fame who also produced the record.
Kudos are also deserved for the last song of the album, “Worth The Wait.” One rule of thumb is that if you want to find the best song on a major label country release, listen to the last track. Co-written with Travis Meadows—whose name often appears on the mainstream’s better tracks—it give a more intimate moment for Ell’s voice and guitar playing to shine. There’s an emotion here that gets lost in many of the other songs of The Project. “Always Kiss The Girl” also has something interesting about it, though I’m not sure about the wisdom of the advice. It’s about as smart as the maxim, “When in doubt, whip it out.” This song could have nerds with no game leaning in inappropriately for years to come if it’s released as a single.
The ultimate failing of mainstream country is not allowing artists to flourish as themselves, and expecting them to conform to a safe ans stylized version of what the industry feels will be the most commercially acceptable, as opposed to leading the public to what they think is the best at a given time. It gets to the point where artists feel lucky if they get to truly step out on at least a song or two. I don’t just want to see the guitar slung over Lindsay Ell’s shoulder, I want to hear it out front in a majority of her songs. I want to know what she’s all about. The Project shows some of Lindsay Ell, but just enough to get frustrated at what she could be as opposed to what she is, which is just another mainstream country singer belting out R&B.
1 1/2 Guns Down (3.5/10)
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The Bad:
The Okay:
August 28, 2017 @ 7:56 am
I want to love the album, but it just feels like it is missing so much. No song really stands out, however, I do like “White Noise” and “Criminal.” Definitely not the worst she could have put out and I still do enjoy her voice. Wonder what future releases will be like.
August 28, 2017 @ 8:12 am
“But ultimately it’s the same bland mono-genre R&B proffered as country primarily because the performer is white.”
That pretty much sums it up. Bland,boring,blah,bleh,meh,whatever else you wanna throw in.
August 28, 2017 @ 8:14 am
I agree. I listened to it and thought “this isn’t bad, necessarily, just not a country album.” As an album I’d be closer to a 5/10, but as a country album, you hit the nail on the head.
August 28, 2017 @ 8:15 am
Not country, no way, no how….. but I hope she earns enough to buy some new jeans.
August 28, 2017 @ 8:16 am
Good review.
Not wastin my time anymore with this.
Now back to my Sarah Shook and The Disarmers album..
August 28, 2017 @ 8:33 am
Is this a great album? No. But it’s pretty good. Is it country? No. But is it less country than sturgill or isbell’s latest? Not really.
August 28, 2017 @ 4:05 pm
At least those albums are good.
I just listened to new Brandy Clark album.. A voice and two guutars. It is stunning..Lindsay is just far from stunning
August 28, 2017 @ 4:07 pm
Guitars..Clark has a new live album out
August 28, 2017 @ 9:32 pm
As far as Sturgill, I’ll agree he stepped outside of the country genre with sailors guide, but The Nashville Sound is definitely country. (And if you say it’s Americana or something, you’re just being picky. Its country.)
August 28, 2017 @ 8:35 am
Trigger …that is one terrific review ….fair , as expansive as it needs to be, yet completely focused and informed .You’ve nailed the ‘ scene’ in terms of where ‘ guitar slingers’ sit in the mix , as it were. Its unfortunate that as younger players get progressively more proficient on just about ANY instrument in just ABOUT any GENRE , those skills become less and less valuable in marketing the image of contemporary artists. Where it once took an army of shredders to fill stadiums , red-haired kid named Ed does it alone with a handful of strummed chords on one acoustic and the faithful fall at his feet . Time was a saxophone was the ‘ go to’ instrument to sell the excitement of 40’s and 50’s pop music to the masses . The electric guitar has now , seemingly , gone the way of the sax in terms of its marketing usefulness in the sonic landscape relegated instead , to the status of prop to most eyes and ears no matter the level of talent behind that prop.
Ell’s stuff above sounds as polished and tight as anything I’ve come across recently ..pop or otherwise ( Katy Perry’s WITNESS sets the standard right now , IMO ) and the vibe is working just fine . Perhaps if you aren’t a jaded veteran of the radio wars as a listener …perhaps if you are younger and experiencing what Ell is doing for the first time and aren’t aware of the generic nature of it you may get into it a bit easier and get more out of it . And yes Maren Morris is a good comparison in those terms . Its not country but its not as BAD as most country so ….there’s that . It will be interesting to see how its accepted and to what extent Ell’s skills and talents will be on display . Of course , it doesn’t hurt her one bit that she’s great -looking and like it or not , sexist or not , politically correct or not , a sexy female guitar slinger can still sell . Add some actual talent to that mix and in a just commercial world ( I know ..a contradiction in terms ) you have a female Keith Urban .
August 28, 2017 @ 8:45 am
Talking about girls and guitars i think a very good one is Samantha Fish and of course my all-time favourite Susan Tedeschi (though not much of a girl anymore…). Also i really loved the first Frankie Ballard ep, good songs, badass guitarist but i have to agree he’s been a disappointment lately.
August 28, 2017 @ 9:53 am
I agree with everything you said Trigger. I hear stuff like this and then I go listen to Kesha, KESHA, of all people sounds better with better songs on her new album, which is decisively pop even “Hunt You Down,” “Spaceship,” “Bastards” are well-written, better delivered — in this style and vain — songs and her duet with Dolly on “Old Flames” is hauntingly solid.
August 28, 2017 @ 10:07 am
But! But! it’s a woman! this is what we’ve been waiting for! it doesn’t matter that the songs are just as bad as what the men record, we asked for a woman artist and we got what we wanted, by gum! we have to say we love it on principle after all the fuss we made about getting it our way!
and now that my sarcasm is over: the thing is… neither of these songs are objectively bad, in any metric that I know.
the only criticism I would have is A. none of it is Country Music, and B. the sugarland guy is involved and Stuck Like Glue is beyond redemption.
I mean, if this were on Rock Radio, or Smooth Blues or whatever this stuff would be fine. it’s not so much that it’s bad music, as it is just flat out not Country Music.
the best pasta in the world won’t do a body who wants tacos.
and even if the pasta is nice, it fails at being tacos.
not that it’s going to sell. nobody is going to notice.
not that I want a woman to go unnoticed on Country Radio. but as far as I’m concerned, since it’s not Country Music anyway, if I never hear of whoever this is again it won’t impact my life one iota.
nor will never hearing from any of the 2nd tier bros like Chase Bryant.
August 30, 2017 @ 9:59 am
WTF is Smooth Blues??
I think you just invented a format! 😀
I’d put Shamekah Copeland and even BB King in it, while leaving John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters in Raw Blues format. Oh and Robert Johnson and Charlie Patton go in Delta Blues.
Hey, an old radio programmer can dream of a world with three types of blues formats, can’t he?
August 30, 2017 @ 10:47 am
T-Bone Walker is pretty smooth.
August 30, 2017 @ 11:07 am
Absolutely. As well as Charles Brown, Junior Parker, Lonnie Johnson, Bobby Bland – this idea is shaping up quite nicely!
August 28, 2017 @ 1:48 pm
I’m an Xer, and we were the generation that saw the “epic” status of electric guitar get taken down. The lid in the coffin was Slash. After him, Cobain came along and delivered the coupe de grace. Then came the drum machine, samples, and rap — and the rest is history.
So even when a talented looker like Lindsey comes along and makes you go cool, girls and guitars, etc., it’s too little, too late. That ship has sailed. Now if she were a bona fide chicken picker and could play alongside Brad Paisley, maybe we’d have something new. But as it is, as Trig points out, there’s nothing new here. Not enough to overcome generational guitar fatigue.
The video of her painting the guitar is maybe unintentionally accurate: at this point, the guitar has been hung out to dry, and all Lindsey can do is decorate it.
It’s why we have the ukelele, and Americana. The pendulum has swung back to primitivism.
August 28, 2017 @ 2:23 pm
I wanted to like this, but it’s just so generic. Maren Morris is a nice comparison, way too overhyped non-country stuff that nonetheless was better than the majority of mainstream country and so therefore received a lot of unwarranted attention.
August 28, 2017 @ 2:42 pm
Boring.
I don’t think Lindsay Ell will hit the jackpot with her songs. More of the same playing it safe stuff.
After the Lindsay Ell album i listened to the When A Heart Breaks album by Bri Bagwell again. Not boring.
Next album on my list: the new Brandon Rhyder album. The current single is a duet with Lori McKenna (“They Need Each Other” – #24 Texas Regional Radio Report).
August 29, 2017 @ 1:05 pm
I agree!
August 28, 2017 @ 8:41 pm
Thanks for the review.
After one listen, I was happy to pass on “Champagne”, although “Wildfire” was a bit better.
I totally agree with what you describe as “R&B proffered as country”.
Strange how the very term “R&B” now means something completely different to what it used to. For example, would anyone believe the Rolling Stones, in their heyday, were tagged as “R&B”? Likewise The Animals and countless other British invasion bands and their imitators.
One thing I slightly disagree with is describing Keith Urban as “most proficient guitar players around, but you’d have no clue from listening to his last record and seeing him live”. Agree about his last record, but I would assert he is a lot different live. Therein lies a strange dichotomy of what Keith offers on his CDs and what his live show is like. Only my opinion though.
August 28, 2017 @ 8:49 pm
I love the album. Lindsay is a great country singer, storyteller and awesome guitarist. What an inspiration she is. Her music tells stories that people can relate to and her mad guitar skills are phenomenal. Just as Brad Paisley said, “nothing like a girl that can kick your ass on the guitar “
August 29, 2017 @ 5:56 am
To get her first official major label debut record The Project out through her Broken Bow imprint, she had to mostly sheathe the electric guitar, and act like she’s auditioning for a spot on The Voice instead, with R&B songs specifically
That’s too bad. I suspect she might be a good live performer.
August 29, 2017 @ 6:35 am
My sister bought it off Google with points and let me hear it. It actually enrages me that this kind of crap gets put out with a serious intention in country music. I hope I never hear anything from her again. I don’t care what talent she has. If she thinks that’s country, or she wants to pass it off as country, she’s to blame. No one made her record anything. Work as a receptionist like I do until you know what genre you belong in.
August 29, 2017 @ 7:53 am
I hope you take the time to review Teea Goens new album. On to the review, when you have 2 songs “the bad and okay” that pretty much sums it up.
August 29, 2017 @ 11:30 am
Great guitar player. Terrible taste in men. Sweet girl whom I’ve met multiple times.
August 29, 2017 @ 5:14 pm
Dont really care for her music but i sure would love to give her the pipe.
August 29, 2017 @ 6:40 pm
Gross
August 29, 2017 @ 6:43 pm
Lindsay is really talented live, I’ve got to see and meet her and her guitar skills are amazing. Most of that is lost on the album unfortunately but I’m hopeful that one day she’ll get to actually show what she can do.
UMG Nashville has Clare Dunn who’s also an amazing guitar player who also lacks the material to show it off, though I think her singles so far do show more of that but they’re still weaker overall than Lindsay’s.
Also going to stick up for Keith here, his live show is still very very guitar centric. Just seen him a few weeks back and his playing is still front and centre.
February 10, 2019 @ 3:04 pm
She is an awesome singer and guitare player. Can’t wait to see her upcoming album. Support our country artists, country music it now my music. I love her music.