Gabby Barrett has just released her debut album – Goldmine, and it is an astounding project. Madeline Christy reviews the record here.
Gabby Barrett caught everyone’s ear in late January this year following her epic release of ‘I Hope’- notable for its achievement, being the first Top 10 Hot Country Songs debut by an unaccompanied woman since October 2017. Previously the star had auditioned for season 16 of American Idol, placing third in the season of indie folk winner Maddie Poppe. However, this week, Barrett has struck gold in the delivery of her debut album entitled Goldmine, which was released on Friday through Warner Bros Nashville.
The album opens with the hit ‘I Hope’, which is sultry; full of stern electric guitar and palatial finger snapping. The boot-faced track is dense and Barrett renders a diva-ish side to the wholesome character developed on American Idol. Following so close in the footsteps of fellow country legend, Carrie Underwood, Barrett almost rewrites ‘Before He Cheats’ in the revenge track ‘I Hope’. However, what Barrett adds to her rendition of redress is a deep-seated level of specificity as she sings ‘I hope she/ Shows up in a 2 AM pic from her friend / Hanging on to a guy, and you just ain’t him / I hope you stay up all night all alone waiting by the phone…and then I hope she cheats/ like you did on me.’ While Barrett’s rendition is lacking a Louisville slugger, it is dense of full anger. In the Charlie Puth duet, which closes the album, making the record come full circle, a new sense of vulnerability rings true and listeners are able to communicate with a more hurt side of Barrett.
While the Pennsylvanian native singer was a clear favourite on the show, Barrett is no stranger to her fair share of trials and tribulations. In ‘Thank God’ the songstress opens up about ‘Tryna knock down slammin’ doors’. The pop infused song has a bright palette of instrumentation during the peak that is the chorus – layers of shimmering drum cymbals with glossy notes from strings, the positive anthem is sure to cheer on all fellow underdogs.
‘Write It On My Heart’ is another example co-written by the star. In fact, Barrett co-wrote twelve of the thirteen tracks on the album, in addition to co-producing alongside Ross Copperman and Zachary Kale. The overall theme of the album is centred around not only Barrett’s climb to the top, but also a dedication to her faith and her husband, Cade Foehner (who also was a contender on American Idol). If you were to make a potion full of blades of bluegrass, enlightenment and spur, you would probably be drinking something called ‘Footprints On The Moon’. The roaring anthem is a modern paean – praising the drive of outsiders and pushing their motivation to aim for the stars ‘You can do anything, anything, you want to / there’s footprints on the moon’. Other tracks that I would recommend to begin your day feeling like a powerhouse would be ‘You’re The Only Reason’, ‘The Good Ones’, and ‘Strong’.
The title track ‘Goldmine’ serves staccato attitude from the very first note. The opening banjo melody is dripping with swagger and charm, which floats above a fleecy layer of distorted electric guitar, performed by husband Foehner (who actually contributes to several of the tracks through guitar). The song is one of the only tracks that Barrett did not have a hand in writing, however the singer clearly makes it her own and possesses the track with scorching vocals which borderline the artist between a country sweetheart and gleaming rock star.
While Barrett has clearly experimented with multitudes of fusions in the country genre – elements of bluegrass, early Taylor Swift style pop-country, and Paradise City Rock, ‘Jesus & My Mama’ very much returns to the ‘Jesus is my boyfriend’ genre. It’s probably the proudest song in the album, especially as Barrett’s vocals stand right in the middle of the mix, while Jason Aldean-like guitar and inflamed banjo open up the panning. It’s a burnt neck, sorry not sorry, flake thrower of a song and it adds some grit to the overall scintillating debut works. ‘You’re not the judge of jury of me / I know Jesus and my mama loves me’ definitely captures echoes of Hayden Panettiere’s ‘Don’t Put Dirt On My Grace Just Yet’ and intrigues listeners.
Country music is known for its match making – Johnny & June, Tim & Faith, Trisha & Garth, and now… Gabby and Cade sit in the ‘Hall Of Fame’. The couple were only engaged for eight months before tying the knot and have spent the majority of their honey moon phase in quarantine. When speaking with America’s ET, Barrett spoke of the married couples new move to Nashville during the pandemic:
“Quarantine has been really good for us on a personal level and for our marriage,” she says. “Being able to take time together to slow down and soak in everything that’s happened over the last year or two has been wonderful. I’m grateful every day that he’s my partner in life.”
In the track ‘Hall Of Fame’ , Barrett tells the love story of not only her husband, but of a romance that blares eternal summer. The overall rhythm of the songs chugs along like an infinity road trip, in accompaniment to Barrett’s astonishing, heavenly Mariah Carey whistle notes. Barrett continues to take listeners to church in ‘Got Me’ which features Shane & Shane (a Texas duo best known for their acoustic worship songs’. The instrumentation on ‘Got Me’ is the most humble of all the tracks, consisting mostly of acoustic guitar and gentle piano. The song helps to add some peaks and valleys of energy throughout the album and aids in diminishing any complications of too much intensity.
While it may not be, at a first listen, coherent to end the record on such a light song such as ‘Rose Needs A Jack’, where Barrett depicts some 90s nostalgia from the epic romance movie Titanic. I personally think that it helps to shape Barrett’s character; not only is this rising artist a strong believer in faith, a proud woman, or a devoted wife, but she is also just a 20 year old. It’s hard to absorb that fact while Barrett is such a well crafted artist at such a young age, and I think that the whimsical song adds an element of fun and youth into the album.
Standout Tracks
Goldmine
Write It On My Heart
Jesus & My Mama
