Margo Price : Strays Review

Country artist Margo Price is back with another album titled Strays. Produced by Price and Jonathan Wilson (Angel Olsen, Father John Misty), Strays was recorded at Fivestar Studio in California’s Topanga Canyon. The songs were written during a six-day mushroom-filled trip that Price and her husband Jeremy Ivey took to South Carolina – amongst the hallucinatory hills of western Los Angeles, Price experienced the best recording sessions of her career. “I feel this urgency to keep moving, keep creating,” says Price. “You get stuck in the same patterns of thinking, the same loops of addiction. But there comes a point where you just have to say, ‘I’m going to be here, I’m going to enjoy it, and I’m not going to put so much stock into checking the boxes for everyone else.’ I feel more mature in the way that I write now, I’m on more than just a search for large crowds and accolades. I’m trying to find what my soul needs.”

Opening with an Americana-themed song called “Been to the Mountain,” Price brings a hipster set of lyrics to life with a catchy melody. The organ fills most of the sound, but the guitar adds grit and melodies. Price sings with energy and emotive accents. Though the song becomes repetitive with the repeated rhythmic figure in the band, a variation would be good. On the other hand, Price does an excellent job of varying her vocal performance. The droning rhythm may help support that.

“Light Me Up” is a beautiful ballad featuring Mike Campbell. The lyrics deal with the art of losing yourself in sex. After the acoustic guitar drives the first part of the song, the band enters and catapults us to an Americana meets 70s rock sound upon which Price’s vocals soar. The song visits many feels, and the guitar work is excellent. This incredible collection of sounds, moods, playing, and singing.

Strays is evidence that Price is a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter that is fearless in expressing her music in whatever style the muse brings it to her. The songs on the album effortlessly flow between Americana, influenced by country, indie rock, and retro pop. Her singing is passionate, and you believe she means every word she sings. Strays fits in one category beautiful, good music.

Margo Price: Website