[rating=8.00]
You could say Margo Price is the tenacious type. Her first solo offering, 2016’s Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, shared the hardships and heartaches she’s dealt with all along, beginning when her family’s farm went into foreclosure and from there, through the loss of her child to a heart disorder and her subsequent battle with the bottle and run-ins with the law. Yet much like the iconic women who came before her — Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Skeeter Davis, and Dolly Parton in particular — she commanded confidence, even when the odds were clearly stacked against her.
All American Made takes that determination and defiance even further, tackling songs that deal with the inequality between men and women both at home and in the office, the need for personal perseverance and the struggle to rise above the toll taken by the most shattered psyche. As a sophomore effort, it marks a quick comeback, yet one that matches the high bar set by her initial outing, as well as all the accolades it was accorded.
Indeed, Price’s persistence paid off. Producer and co-writer Alex Munoz can take some of the credit, but it’s her rugged mix of heart-worn ballads, rugged rootsy rockers, gritty R&B and sheer ingenuity and integrity that all but assures immediate success. Indeed, in a sign she’s already arrived, none other than Willie Nelson shares the spotlight on “Learning To Lose.” And if that particular song seems to boast a degree of irony, it’s also indicative of the tattered tales that characterize the album overall. The titles betray the basics, with “Weakness,” “A Little Pain,” “Cocaine Cowboys,” and “Wild Women” all sharing stories of outcasts and insurgents who struggle to find higher ground.
While Price clearly borrows from a tattered tradition and the sounds of classic country, she’s also an independent artist who’s unafraid to bare her soul and win the world over by doing things her way. All American Maid has no need for a nuanced narrative. Indeed, it’s an album that clearly reveals the purpose of its intents.
