Given Miranda Lambert’s success it was inevitable that labels in Nashville would go after an artist like her.  While it may be true that Lawrence, Kansas native Ashley Ray does share a flare for songwriting that rivals Miranda Lambert, her voice is completely different and that’s the instrument, much like fellow Lawrence native Sarah Buxton, that will set Ashley Ray apart from the pack.  Her debut album, a five song EP titled---wait for it---Ashley Ray is a great indicator of the kind of music she’ll make.

Ashley Ray starts off with “My Kind of Mistake,” a song she co-wrote with Jay Joyce and Jeremy Spillman and it’s a song that features a progressive banjo-laced rhythm section with slide and steel guitar noticeably in the mix while singing about a romantic encounter that ‘is the kind of mistake I love to make.”  Fans of Randy Rogers and Cody Canada of Cross Canadian Ragweed will certainly notice “This Time Around,” a song that first appeared on Cross Canadian Ragweed’s Garage album and it actually works quite well in with Ashley’s voice.  It’s rockin’ tempo is perfect for the Country Throwdown Tour she’s a part of and it’s a song that will likely do well on Texas music charts, something that “Dirt Cheap” has done. 

Written by Luke Bryan, Hillary Lindsey and Dallas Davidson, “Dirt Cheap” features Mike Eli of Eli Young Band and while some might think that their voices don’t blend too well, they really do. The song, which was a Top hit on the Texas Music Chart, works as the anchor of this album with compelling lyrics like “my love ain’t dirt cheap, I’m not a yard sale special on a dead-end street, I’ll never be buy one get one free, No my love ain’t dirt cheap.”  Jay Joyce’s production is spot-on as well.  Lori McKenna is one of the best songwriters working today and she’s the writer behind the progressive “Figured You Out.”  With a melody that recalls rock stuff like Kings of Leon, this is an very strong melodic and lyrical song and it’s my personal choice for a song to release to mainstream country radio as it will appeal to both women (lyrics) and men (melody).  “Loved By You” has the same kind of tempo, rock and attitude as lead-off track on this EP. 

Even if Ashley Ray never becomes a superstar like Miranda Lambert, she will be able to write and record songs and tour in the Texas/Oklahoma area for years as this album is right up their alley.  It also gives country radio another female artist with more than a little attitude to do stuff her own way and in an industry that gets stale at times, this is a much needed boost of feminine energy and attitude.

You can support Ashley Ray by purchasing this album digitally at Amazon | Amazon CD.