If any artist could be described as a hurricane, Breelan Angel would be it. From the first note of her independently-released album ‘Dirty Little Secrets’ we brace ourselves against a barrage of unfiltered sass, personality and a no-nonsense attitude. On opener ‘Walk of Shame’ the Texas native chastises a scantily-clad hussy who tries to steal her man in a bar, while on current single ‘Double Standards’ she bemoans the well, double standards in today’s society, feminist ideals underscoring a wish for equality in ordinary situations and pushing forward the female sexual revolution in country. We get the feeling that Breelan isn’t takin’ no shit from anybody.
Even in her heartbreaks the spitfire makes a lot of noise. In ‘Workin’ On It’ she recounts the mess of her life following the end of a relationship. This focuses on crazy drunken nights that result in being late for work, potentially burning her ex’s stuff and ending up with strangers passed out on her floor. When Breelan makes a fuss, she does it in spectacular style, and she concedes this in ‘It Ain’t Easy Loving Me’, part commentary on her personality, part acceptance of her lifestyle as a musician. This song more than some of the others feels autobiographical, but she sings each line on every track with passion and honesty, and with every note that spills out we feel a headstrong, wilful, independent woman with a strong set of values and opinions. Breelan gets angry on ‘She Made Your Bed’, a song of little discoveries that her man is cheating and the recognizing of the homewrecker who made those clues. It serves as a warning to all men that she isn’t going to put up with foul play, and just like a man she uses “a little George Jones, a little Jim Beam” to cope with the pain of a break-up. Instead of crying to her girlfriends, she’s in a bar drinking whiskey, typifying the strong Texas woman as much as she distances herself from the “sensitive girl” stereotype, that some of her country pop contemporaries might fall into.
Even in ‘Can’t Tell A Heart’ she puts up walls with some of the third person narrative, only allowing herself to be vulnerable by describing her own experiences of heartbreak at briefer points during the song. Still, we feel her emotion in every word; regret, sadness, all choked up in her delivery, just as she takes on the problems of the broken woman in closer ‘One More Song’, who is desperately waiting for a man to meet her at the bar. Breelan digs into the depths of the thoughts and feelings of her characters and herself, laying them out in song while also guarding herself in alcohol and music the way that men are stereotyped to do. This creates an interesting gender dynamic that readdresses the balance, and is quite refreshing to hear at a time in country music when women are often reduced to passive sexual objects.
But in a way, it’s the title track that is the cleverest written, the most fun, and calls upon the influences of Kacey Musgraves to paint an honest picture of small town life (and life in general). Set to a mid-tempo, twangy, percussive rhythm, with mandolin and dobro joining acoustic guitar to fill out the mix, it celebrates the dirty little secrets of ordinary people that get spread like wildfire through the medium of gossip. It refuses to judge but shines a spotlight on the realities of everyone having these skeletons in our closet, the innocence with which Breelan articulates it a key part in selling her side of the story.
Musically, the record harks back to more of a 90s cross early 00s sound, incorporating a modern pop/rock base with a twangy, Texas-inspired country style, often upbeat and best turned up loud. In this way she nods to her predecessors, women country singers who were strong and had something to say, at a time when country radio would play them and celebrate them. This is a great fit for her and a great fit for the stories she has to tell, perhaps thrusting her into the mainstream when the tides eventually turn.
For now, Breelan Angel is an undiscovered gem for most. It’s hoped however that when the time comes, she’ll be ready and waiting to usher in the next wave of female empowerment in mainstream country. I’ll be championing her all the way when it happens.
