Margo’s first two albums have seen her lauded as Nashville’s new alternative queen, with a reputation as an outsider, an outlaw, following in the boots of Willie Nelson (who duetted with her on her last album), and yet she is shunned by country radio.
Her third album – ‘That’s How Rumors Get Started’ – is her best yet but probably won’t get much her much more air time on Nashville radio. It rocks too hard for that. This change in style is much in keeping with Price’s demeanor and drive. She’s not going to water down her principles but is intent on getting to the top on her own terms. Hats off to her, because ‘That’s How Rumors Get Started’ is miles away from the old-time country of her early work, and is a terrific piece of work.
It’s closer in timbre to Linda Ronstadt than Loretta Lynn. Some have even contended that the rumors of the title are a nod in the direction of Fleetwood Mac. While that may be a reach too far, Margo certainly puts in a rocking album that is some distance away from her twangy, pedal steel drenched debut. It shows her growth as an artist that she is not prepared to stand still and rehash past glories. It’s a smart move also handing production duties to longtime friend Sturgill Simpson, who performed a remarkably similar left turn and experimented with the country genre on his own albums.
Price’s own life, at one point, looked like a train wreck of country songs in itself. Poverty, drugs, loss of a child, and jail time all featured and left her with plenty of material for an autobiography at the age of 25. ‘Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’ and ‘All American Made’ used the heartache and struggle to great effect.
The album touches on some personal events but Price presents something fresh in terms of topics, and sound, especially the sound. ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ is as heavy as Margo has ever sounded and reminiscent of Lucinda Williams at her raunchiest. ‘Stone Me’ and ‘Hey Child’ are as strong and affecting as anything she has written including ‘Hands of Time’.
Subject matters have moved on too for Price. Relationships certainly are well covered, but weighing up costs of raising a family, and constant touring, gentrification of cities, and the confused state of politics in her polarised country at the minute, all get some time. Price has the ability to piece together searing couplets that few others in Nashville – save perhaps Jason Isbell – would be brave enough to pen. Take this from ‘Whatever Happened To Our Love’
You were the music and I was the dancer. You were the medicine and I was the cancer.
As she sings on ‘Prisoner of the Highway’:
I sacrificed my family, sacrificed true love, sacrificed my unborn child to the heavens up above. There was not a limit to those I would betray. I was deep down in it as a prisoner of the highway.
Her voice, so well matched on her personalised country songs, proves extremely adaptable on the rockier ballads, and soulful and sweet throughout, particularly on the ballads.
Forget the rumours, Margo Price is a major star. On this album, she highlights her that incredible voice, versatility, commitment, writing skills, and forecasts so much more to come from the hugely talented singer from Illinois.