By all accounts, ‘Provoked’ has been a long time coming. The last few years has seen Sunny split from Big Machine Records (everybody cheer), divorce her husband, marry someone new, start a crowdfunding campaign to fund her new record, and sign with independent label Thirty Tigers in order to release it. Probably not in that order. It’s been an interesting trajectory though for someone who began on the Texas circuit several years ago now, self-releasing her first album in 2006, and only finding herself unleashing her third record on the world in 2014. But that kind of unusual direction seems to be something that Sunny embraces, and that permeates this album; indeed, ‘Second Guessing’ tackles the subject directly, proclaiming she will stop second guessing her mistakes, because those mistakes are what led her to her current husband and generally this good place in her life.
Throughout this largely autobiographical record, we get a sense that Sunny has spent some time maturing through all these life experiences. Every moment of note is narrated with storytelling aplomb and a keen wit; the bluntly honest approach seems to be her forte, but she isn’t afraid to explore her more poetic side, peppering tracks like ‘Carolina On The Line’ with metaphors and a more literary sense. For the most part, however, her bright, headstrong personality and sense of humor come through in droves, such as in the sassy lead single ‘Bad Girl Phase’, and the wry way in which she tackles small town secrets and skeletons in the closet in ‘Front Row Seats’. What’s interesting about the latter is the way in which she hints towards a wider relevance during the chorus, cheerfully singing, “la di da, we all just sing along, while the world goes to hell in a feel-good song”. Call me crazy, but this could easily be shade at bro-country and party anthems for singing only about good times, while the harsh realities of life are happening all around. “We do what we gotta do, so our dreams come true, but when they don’t, it’s all la di da…” she trills, the implications of ordinary folk and country music artists ignoring the imperfections of life underlying her delivery.
The majority of ‘Provoked’ is a commentary on her divorce and subsequent remarriage, framed by the heartbroken complications of ‘Carolina On The Line’, the honky-tonkin’ ‘Can’t Let Go’ and the gorgeous ballad ‘My Bed’, a duet with fellow Texan Will Hoge and a co-write with none other than Pistol Annies Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe. ‘My Bed’ is more stripped back than the others, taking on a mountain/bluegrass tone as it builds, the pair’s harmonies dripping with loneliness as well as reluctant acceptance. “Now you’re just sleeping in my bed” is the killer line, driving to the heart of a relationship where all the love has dried up. But more than just the complications surrounding their divorce, Sunny tackles her emotional fallout from that experience separately, turning to the front porch-style, traditional country ‘Sunday Dress’. Dressed up for church, sitting at home, smoking, drinking, leaving her mother to deal with those who will ask questions that Sunny cannot face. The pain is too fresh, she is too vulnerable.
‘Uninvited’, too, deals with the aftermath, but in a way that is often not covered: the separation of friends and family that also comes alongside divorce. Featuring an atmospheric, reverbed, chorused soft rock sound that could be traced back to the 1990’s, she carefully and plainly narrates a story of getting ready to go to a party, picking out a red dress. When she arrives, however, she is met with whispers and stares, not being able to understand why she is being treated in this way. As she goes to leave, the initially somewhat trivial tale makes all the profound sense in the world as she bumps into who we presume is her ex; “Why didn’t they tell me you were here?” she sings sadly, and we feel every ounce of the reminder of what is going on in her life. All hearts stop.
But just like a book that has a beginning, middle and end, we see her situation transition into something more positive. From the emotional, wearied desperation of ‘Find Me’ (in which she begs for her soul mate to find her because she’s tired of looking), to the cheeky, quirky country rock vibe of ‘Used Cars’ (in which she compares her new man to a used car, charming in her bluntness and sprightly attitude). The fabulous ‘Backhanded Compliment’ also channels this kind of humor, and its rhythmic, bouncy tempo only adds to the clever wit of the lyrics, a truly laugh-out-loud track. Similar in style to the writing of Kacey Musgraves and Brandy Clark (co-written just with Sunny and Miranda Lambert regular Natalie Hemby), it’s a true album highlight that shows where she could go beyond the musical therapy content of much of this album. There’s also hark backs to her Texas roots, in the feisty foot-tapping opener ‘You Don’t Know Your Husband’ from the point of view of a mistress warning the wife, and in the working class sing-a-long closer ‘Everybody Else Can Kiss My Ass’.
Sunny Sweeney has come a long way in these past few years, and it shows. She’s certainly not afraid to tackle those dirtier, more personal subjects, and does so with refreshing honesty while retaining a good sense of humor. She balances the good with the bad, and seems to tell almost the whole story, leaving just enough out so that there’s still more to tell in the future. All I can say is I’m glad that Sunny was able to get through these things and live to write about them, but mostly that she’s no longer signed with Big Machine. I have a feeling we’d have had a very different album had she been a part of their roster in 2014. ‘Provoked’ feels genuine, honest, musically varied, but quintessentially country. I don’t think we could ever ask for more than that.
