After a few years of chasing some bucket list items — releasing an album of soul covers on her own label — Martina McBride’s back with a major label as she releases Reckless via BMLG’s Nash Icon Records. Working with Dann Huff and Nathan Chapman as her co-producers, Martina has pulled together a nice variety of songs with many coming from top writers like Cary Barlowe, Steve McEwan, Heather Morgan, Eric Pasley along with up and coming writers like Hailey Whitters, Sam Ellis and Abe Stoklasa.
The themes on the album deal with life, love and the meaning of including songs like “It Ain’t Pretty” and “Low All Afternoon” which tell stories like country songs used to always do (one’s about a break-up, one’s about the harsh reality of being a mistress). There’s a maturity in these songs that suits Martina as she is 25 years into her career after all. Keith Urban shows up to supply harmony vocals on “Diamond” while alt-country king Buddy Miller guests on “The Real Thing.” The fact that McBride takes a chance on some of these rootsy-leaning story songs should be championed here as she is clearly proving that they have a place with mainstream country as they always have over the years.
Standouts include the aforementioned songs, “Just Around The Corner,” “Everyone Wants To Be Loved,” oh, hell; just get the album and be overjoyed by the fact that a talented artist like Martina McBride continues to make records like Reckless.
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