Texas native Olivia Lane has recently released her first full-length album Heart Unlocked, an “acoustic mix” album. I put the “acoustic mix” in quotes simply because, to me, the album doesn’t necessarily sound acoustic. When you think of acoustic, you think of stripped back, quieter production. Heart Unlocked is anything but stripped back and quiet. Throughout most of the record, the production tends to lean on the “too much and too loud” side. Going into this album, I went through her bio on her website to get a better feel for the artist. Her bio boasts that her music contains traditional country sensibilities… Which makes me wonder where those traditional sensibilities are, because I for one couldn’t find much on this record, maybe in one song. She also claims to be a “story person”, gravitating to songs that tell stories. I also had a hard time finding substantial story songs on this record… Maybe she’s talking about another one?My main complaints with this record are that Lane’s vocals sound off, a bit strained maybe, and the fact that there’s way too much production on it. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly it is that sounds so off putting about her vocals, just that they are indeed off putting. Maybe it’s the fact that she sounds like she’s trying too hard on most of the songs. I can detect a sort of drawl/twang in her voice. I’m always for twangs/drawls. Country music seems to be dropping the accents as of late, so the drawl is a welcome. I can also tell that she does have a strong and beautiful voice, it just either needs work or a producer who knows how to properly spotlight it. As for the production issue, it’s just too loud and too much. The production ends up drowning out Lane’s vocals and ultimately the lyrics. There’s just way too much of it, especially for an “acoustic” album.
The main theme of the record seems to be following your dreams, with a few other subjects mixed in. The record opens with “Lightning”. There’s not much I can say about this track and still be nice (which I always try to be). The song is lacking quite a bit of substance, resorts to repeating words throughout the duration of the song, and the production is dreadful. It is unfortunately a bad start to the record, and ends up foreshadowing the fate of the rest of the album. The record as a whole seems to be infused with R&B and Pop, with very little country (if any at all). “Gimme The Beat” is pure R&B trying to be country. It’s one of the weakest songs on the album, with a theme that would fit in on pop radio, about dancing to the beat. Everything about this song ends up being annoying. I’d pass on it completely, if I were you.
Most of the tracks feature banjo and mandolin in the production, but it appears to be merely a token gesture. Even the use of the two countriest instruments couldn’t make these songs country. “Hard To Get” features a vocal delivery that’s very much R&B, as she explains that she expects a 50/50 relationship, and if the guy can’t deliver, she’s leaving. She lays down her expectations with the line, “I won’t play hard to get, if you don’t play hard to keep”. The line is clever and fresh, which is all the more upsetting knowing that it falls flat because of the delivery and production. The anthemic “Millennials” is an ode to the millennial generation. The production features a drum beat that resembles a heartbeat. The vocals sound off, as usual, but they’re not bad. I would like to make it clear that I do believe Lane has a good voice, she just needs to learn how to control and work with it.
If I had to find the female version of Bro Country, I would find myself looking no further than “Boys”. Lane’s takes on the role is the female version of Florida Georgia Line, as she turns the tables and objectifies men. The productions sound more of a dance remix, with a driving beat and lots of claps. It’s another one of the weakest track on the record, and quite frankly, not enjoyable to listen to. Another track that contains a strong drum beat is “Who Says”. Lane opens the song with lines like, “Who says Nashville ain’t waiting on me/ Who says I ain’t the next big thing.” She name drops Reba McEntire as she throws out imagery of a little girl singing karaoke to one of the famous red head’s songs. Lane uses the song to declare that she believes in herself and that she thinks her dreams will come true. It’s a nice sentiment, but a hokey delivery. No offense to Lane, I’m sure she’s a nice, talented person, but judging by this record, she’s got a ways to go before she’s the “next big thing in Nashville”. The things that really kills this track is the drawn out “oh”s and “woo”s, it’s just really annoying.
The one track that stood out to me was “Mama Raised Hell”. The track sounds more acoustic than any of the other songs on the album. It opens with Lane telling the story of a mother’s younger days, how she raised hell. Then flashes to the narrator’s (Lane) growing up years, as she raises hell and argues with her mother over such things as make-up and short skirts, the usual things mothers and daughters argue over. The song puts a twist on the age old phrase “raised hell”, with the hook verse being “When mama raised me, mama raised hell.” It’s the strongest track on the album, and actually an enjoyable listen. We see a bit of promise from Lane, showing us that she does have vocal talent. Hopefully she’ll make more music like “Mama Raised Hell”.
The record closes out with the R&B “You Part 2”. The track works around the line, “I don’t need a you part 2”, as she refuses to get back together with a guy who was no good to begin with. The song is full on R&B, featuring talk-singing and rapping at one point. It sounds like the female version of Sam Hunt. Overall, this record is weak and it’s certainly not a country record. When listening to the record you’re struck with the sense that Lane seems to not know exactly what her musical identity is. Is she country? Is she R&B? Is she pop? I think she might do better as a pop artist. Although, I will say, she has the potential to be a good country artist if only she would pick better material, more substantial songs featuring a believable country production. Until that happens, I’d pass on this record.
Originally posted here.
