Album Review – Sunny Sweeney’s “Provoked”
When perusing the bereft landscape of mainstream country music and searching for a female performer with some substance and an independent spirit who could possibly still raise a blip at the highest levels, Sunny Sweeney is one of the first names to come to mind. It’s not too hard to envision the Texas native making a splash in the mainstream because she has done it before. In 2010, her single “From A Table Away” made it all the way to #10 on the Billboard charts—a feat for any woman in this particular country music climate. Of course it helped that Sweeney had Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records behind her at that time. Sweeney was one of the very first Big Machine signees along with Taylor Swift, and when Borchetta opened up the Republic Nashville imprint, Sweeney was the label’s inaugural artist.
These days the particulars of Sunny Sweeney’s business dealings are much different. Her latest album Provoked was released through Thirty Tigers—the same independent, champion-of-the-little-guy distributor that artists like Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell use. But Sweeney’s sound still remains very much steeped in that space that can find consensus amongst both mainstream fans, and traditional/independent fans from leanings that are traditional, expressive, yet still accessible to the wide ear.
Just like Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musggraves, Sunny Sweeney is an east Texas girl at her core, and no matter what Nashville does, it’s never possible to completely quiet those jangling spurs or smooth out that accent. Sweeney though, compared to Miranda and Kacey for example, seems to have held onto her decidedly Texas style even more so over the years. She very much fits that mold of the Texas country artist that got big enough to be recognized by Music Row, but always felt just a little too authentic to do much more than experience that world from the outside looking in.
At the same time, Sunny Sweeney also has some quickly-identifiable fingerprints of the industry in her sound. Sometimes it feels like instead of hearing three chords and the truth, you’re hearing three professional songwriters and a hook. It might still be a hook that is hard to escape the appeal of, but the formulas and tropes find their way into the female side of country music too, and there’s a few of those overt moments on Provoked. The album’s two beginning tracks—“You Don’t Know Your Husband” and “Bad Girl Phase”—strike at that female answer to Bro-Country vein in portraying the sassy, non-behaving female quite directly.
“Front Row Seats” is a sensational track on this album, superbly written and pointed in its message, but it still plays very much to this Kacey Musgraves anti-conformist formula that the success of “Merry ‘Go Round” has given rise to. A song like “Sunday Dress” shows that when it comes to the women in country, ‘mama’ is the female version of the men’s ‘tailgate,’ and disobeying her wisdom is expected on an album at least a few times. From another perspective though, many of these trends and tropes are hot right now, and Sunny’s contributions overall are just a little more thoughtful, and little more developed, and a little more country than most of her country peers who’ve seen mainstream success.
Sweeney also strikes out on some limbs, and in moments let’s her traditional influences shine through unapologetically. The gem of this album might be the swing-timed “Find Me.” It is so aching, so brilliant in the way it builds tension both in the story and sonically until Sunny has swept you up in a wave of emotions. Like all but two of the songs on Provoked, “Find Me” is co-written by Sweeney, and feels like a very personal expression. The only true cover on the album is Randy Weeks’ “Can’t Let Go” which has been done many times by many artists, maybe most notably by Lucinda Williams, but Sweeney really nails her version, with the song seeming to be custom-made to fit her Southern twang, and the half-time beat highlighting the chorus being the perfect call in the arrangement.
“My Bed” with Will Hoge is another Provoked highlight, and is a good example of how Sweeney also translates well into the more progressive, Americana-style of production that a few of the album’s tracks veer toward. And though the sassy, non-behaving female formula was decried above, the final track on the album, “Everybody Else Can Kiss My Ass” is just too damn fun, the lyrics too good, and the steel guitar too hot to give it anything less than two guns up.
Sunny Sweeney has a very sweet, very alluring natural tone to her voice, but it has always felt like she stops her phrasing a little too short, as evidenced on Provoked in the song “Second Guessing.”
In the end it is not Sunny Sweeney’s super heartbreaking sentimentality, or her high caliber songwriting that makes her stand out in the crowd. It is her practical, pragmatic, bridge-building approach to country music for all that stays true to her nature that has you rooting for her no matter what the color of your country music stripes.
1 1/2 of 2 guns up.
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August 22, 2014 @ 9:29 am
First met Sunny at Ginnys around 2006. She remembered me when he first album came out and I was glad it was in hand when I started the station. I hope she eeps her style.
August 22, 2014 @ 9:54 am
I love the songs, but you’re dead on in addressing the fact that the girl can’t sing.
The phrasing on this is so stilted and flat that it might actually qualify to be a spoken word album.
I can respect her “practical, pragmatic, bridge-building approach to country music”, but that doesn’t mean I want to listen to it.
August 22, 2014 @ 11:12 am
Don’t let any vocal hindrances of hers bother you too much. Try to remember that two of the best living singer/songwriters–Bob Dylan and Chris Knight–often get criticized for the same thing, but it sure doesn’t matter, does it?
August 22, 2014 @ 11:32 am
I disagree with Mike that “the girl can’t sing.” It’s not the most perfect or pretty voice, but it sounds good and has some character.
I also disagree with the idea that it doesn’t matter. I, personally, cannot listen to Bob Dylan. His songs may be great (and I’ve been impressed when I’ve heard other people cover his songs) but his voice makes it so that I cannot focus on the quality of the song. Matt Woods gets a lot of love on this site, but he is in the same camp for me – great songwriting, but I just can’t listen to his voice.
Songwriting matters, singing matters, musicianship and production matters, even style/image matters to some degree (see Eric Church). Being exceptionally strong in one can make up for weakness in others, but don’t imagine that very many people could get away with having a voice like Dylan.
August 22, 2014 @ 12:10 pm
I disagree with Mike that “the girl can”™t sing.” It”™s not the most perfect or pretty voice, but it sounds good and has some character.
And I would make the SAME argument for Bob Dylan’s voice, except that I would say that it has a lot of character. For example, I think the live version of Sarah from the Rolling Thunder album is a great piece of folk singing. Or Moonshiner from Bootleg volumes 1-3. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder.
August 22, 2014 @ 12:24 pm
Absolutely. I wasn’t trying to suggest that my taste has any authority. Lots of people like listening to Dylan because of the “character” of his voice. I’m not one of them. My point was just that you can’t ignore a poor singing voice and say it doesn’t matter. Everything matters when you’re trying to make it as a singer.
August 22, 2014 @ 12:35 pm
Gotcha, Jared. And I don’t think BwareDWare94 would disagree with you. I don’t necessarily think he was saying that “poor voice” doesn’t matter, but that the singers he listed have some intangibles that can overcome technical limitations.
August 22, 2014 @ 12:46 pm
I didn’t say the girl can’t sing. There’s a lot I like about her voice. I just wish she would hold out her phrasing more at times to really draw the emotion out a the lyric.
August 22, 2014 @ 12:52 pm
She sounds better than many flat-singing, rough-sounding, auto-tuned men radio plays. THEY can’t sing.
August 22, 2014 @ 1:08 pm
I really like her voice going back to the “East Texas Pines” days of her first independent release. I like the twang she has. I like what i have heard from this record. “find me” is my favorite so far. I wish her much success. I know if nothing else she has a home on the Texas Red Dirt scene.
August 22, 2014 @ 1:50 pm
I like this album for the most part. “Front Row Seats” is my favorite track with “Carolina On The Line” close behind it. I enjoy the “realness” of her vocals and I think it adds an authentic touch to some of the songs that could easily be turned into overproduced country radio fluff. Kudos to Sunny for seemingly stickin’ to her guns with her music.
August 22, 2014 @ 2:35 pm
I agree, my favorite songs on the album are Carolina on the Line and Front Row Seats. I have liked her since i heard From a Table Away. I was surprised you did not mention anything about the song “Carolina on The Line” trigger.
August 22, 2014 @ 3:11 pm
“Carolina On The Line” a good song, probably one of the better on the album. I just didn’t feel like I had anything insightful to say about it.
August 22, 2014 @ 5:30 pm
I saw Sunny last week at the Grand Ole Opry, and thought she was pretty good. She performed “Backhanded Compliment” and “Bad Girl Phase.” She was neither my favorite performer of the evening, nor was she my least favorite, but she was enjoyable.
August 22, 2014 @ 6:24 pm
It seems to me that the Opry has been on an uptick lately in terms of guests.
Vince Gill, Caitlin Rose, Holly Williams, Sundy Best, and The Willis Clan are all performing this weekend, if anyone’s interested in listening.
August 22, 2014 @ 6:30 pm
Oh, and Ricky Skaggs, Shovels & Rope, Dailey & Vincent, The Whites, & others will perform on Tuesday, August 26.
Interesting to see all the indie / Americana artists in the mix.
August 22, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
I like it a bit more than Trig. At least 1 5/8 guns up.
Been listening to it ever since it was released to Spotify. Payday was today. Making a trip to the record store tomorrow.
I don’t mind so much the formulaic stuff. Maybe simply because it’s not the same formula so pervasive in today’s popular country.
Nobody’s mentioned two of my favorites from the record, “Uninvited” and “Second Guessing”.
No, she doesn’t have the greatest voice, certainly not soaring vocals, but there is a realness to her singing. Personally, I’m glad that vocals are not overproduced and/or autotuned. What’s on the record is more like what you’ll get in a live setting. As evidenced by the above youtube clip.
Whatever, just my opinion, but I like it.
August 22, 2014 @ 8:19 pm
My first thoughts upon hearing the CD are echoed above . I don’t think her vocals are much to get excited about . I mean …I understand ” character ” in a voice ( Dylan , Neil Young , Tom Waitts , Lucinda Williams ..etc ) but for me Sunny lacks character . Her vocals would not keep me interested in a song if I wasn’t a writer interested from a lyrical standpoint . Yeah …she’s got some good tunes .A lot of people have better tunes and far more musical voices . I’m sure she has garnered a fan following but I can’t help wondering if she may be more successful behind the scenes as a songwriter as opposed to competing with better voices .
August 23, 2014 @ 7:29 am
sounds good. you can deffnetly here the jenifer netels and sugarland inflewance. may be a little mary chapen carpentar? but not quit divorcee/fab and 40 country. aww hell I dont know.
August 28, 2014 @ 9:55 pm
Jennifer Nettles isn’t fit to hold Sunny Sweeney’s anything and there’s no influence for god’s sake,
Single Mother Saturday Tiddy Bits | Rawhide And Velvet
August 23, 2014 @ 9:13 am
[…] The forecast is Sunny.  […]
August 23, 2014 @ 7:37 pm
Watched video for Everybody Else etc.
1. Hey I really enjoyed that!
2. Very personable, likeable
3. I’m gonna buy that whole damn CD.
4. Leonard Cohen, Randy Newman, Shane McGowen can’t sing either.
5. Good call Trigger
August 25, 2014 @ 12:48 am
I thought “From A Table Away” was a good song. I like her music more than the material that Carrie and Miranda have been putting out in recent years. She doesn’t seem to be getting much mainstream attention recently, I guess country radio doesn’t like to play the more traditional sounding females these days.
With Taylor leaving country the big question is who will benefit from increased airplay. Will Kacey Musgraves break through with her next album (she would be the logical choice for the young female listener demographic, if she would keep quiet about politics)? Or will country radio replace Taylor’s airplay with another boring teenage female artist (Danielle Bradbery perhaps? I can’t even think of any of her songs) or the sexy but musically bland Jana Kramer? Or will we hear even more bro country? Or will a more traditional sounding female finally get a chance?
August 25, 2014 @ 2:24 pm
Her name goes well with her overall personality.
I did like the song also.
As some have mentioned here, her voice sounds a bit quirky at times, and it seems as though she may be having a little difficulty with power and range.
I have to wonder if any of the vocal issues might be improved if she weren’t trying to sing the song while chewing gum at the same time? You can see her actively chewing as the song begins, and you can even see the wad of gum at times. Perhaps she just had a dry throat and needed the gum as a moisturizer. However, it was a bit off-putting for me. She has a pretty good voice, but I can’t help but think the gum caused some issues with her projection.
August 25, 2014 @ 6:43 pm
She’s a hoot. Love how she chews gum while singing………
Listened to entire Bad Girl Faze. That’s how I judge. If I get annoyed and stop a song after a minute and a half, it’s not good.
September 11, 2014 @ 10:33 pm
I love this whole record. Not sure who she reminds me of, but seems familiar. Not sure about the people who think she cannot sing. Personally, would like to hear more of her.