There’s a lot of good reasons to love country and folk this year. Kacey Musgraves released her best album yet. Carter Sampson’s Lucky was a terrific surprise. Then there was Mountain by Dierks Bentley and Brandi Carlisle’s By the Way I Forgive You. And now, we have another reason. Double Grammy winner Lori McKenna, hailing from the unlikely place of Massachusetts, has produced one of the most authentic country albums of 2018.
For me personally, the standout track is the one up top: People Get Old. But there’s a powerful tribute to motherhood here, too, called A Mother Never Rests, that’s about as sweet and powerful as any I’ve ever heard.
And then there’s Happy People, who don’t cheat, hate, or criticize, which tells us to make our own joy, be grateful, and never try to take others’ happiness away.
These are simple songs, about love and loss and the wisdom of having had one’s heart broken more than once. A beautiful and wonderful collection.
