Kameron Marlowe: ‘Sad Songs For The Soul’ – Project Review

With a soulful and gritty voice that hearkens back to country’s finest, Kameron Marlowe continues to position himself as a powerhouse of the genre. On Sad Songs for the Soul, out now, the Sony Music Nashville turns heartbreak into art, pouring himself into ten new songs.

For the North Carolina native, heartache and yearning seem etched into the DNA of his voice. On the LP, he runs the gamut of emotions that come with a breakup, from guilt to blame and from despair to ultimately, hope.

Produced by Ben West, Sad Songs For The Soul is the follow up to 2024’s Keepin’ The Lights On, and has been in the works for awhile. “I’ve had these songs for a while now, but I was never sure if I wanted to actually release them all. I kept coming back to the idea of doing a concept record of only sad songs but was honestly nervous that it might be too different from what fans are used to hearing from me,” Marlowe shared in a statement. “I wanted to push the boundaries a little and put out an unexpected, soulful, stripped project full of heartbreak at all stages in life.”  

The album opens on a somewhat unexpected note: a cover of Cam’s 2015 hit, “Burning House.” It’s appropriate for the album, allowing Marlowe to put his own spin on it, while staying incredibly true to the original. His powerful voice tells the emotive tale from a male perspective that very few could pull off so effortlessly. “I’ve always been a fan of Cam’s music. I especially loved the song ‘Burning House’ because it’s one of those songs you hear and wish you had written yourself,” he shared. “Thank you to Cam for putting out such a great song – I really enjoyed covering it and hope I did it justice!”

 

Much of the album continues in a slow and reflective vein, pain weaving its way through songs like “Friend of Mine,” “Hungover You,” and “Here Lies the Fool.” “Friend” finds him in a permanent state of sadness, Marlowe musing that “heartache is a friend of mine, we go back a long time,” while “Here Lies the Fool” is a sparse and acoustic guitar-driven ballad that unwraps the demise of a relationship.

“When the empty whiskey sour’s become whithered graveyard flowers // When buzzin’ neon lights break the silent midnight rule // A memory I can’t let go, the last words she said, they echo I made this bed, this barstool was a headstone // Here lies the fool”

Marlowe shows off his impressive voice on the moody swamp romp, “Hello Whiskey,” and “The Basement,” both which find him at the bottom of a bottle. “We wanted to write a classic heartbreak song that talks about what it feels like when you’re trying your hardest to move on, but you truly cannot get over someone,” he shares of “Whiskey.” “The melody is a little unexpected but I think that’s what makes this song special.”

“How’s the Leaving Going,” co-written by Vince Gill, is truly a special moment, complete with mournful piano and slide guitars. Marlowe admits that the track just might be his favorite. “Sitting down to write with Vince Gill and Lee Thomas Miller was everything I could have hoped for, they both are extremely talented songwriters and have both written some of my favorite songs of all time,” he says. “It was an absolute honor.”

On the poignant “Highway Song” and the introspective, “Dear God,” Marlowe turns his eyes inward and upward, wondering what’s yet to come for him. On “Highway,” he sounds much like a young Chris Stapleton, pleading, “Tell me Heaven ain’t really that far away?” Meanwhile, “Dear God” sounds like a prayer to the Almighty, as he grapples with loss in his life and the mistakes that have led him there.

The album ends with “If You Stay,” arguably the most optimistic tune on Sad Songs for the Soul. Over a lush and ethereal arrangement filled with strings and building vocals, Marlowe promises to be a better man if she gives him another chance. Sonically, it’s more uplifting than much of the album, offering listeners a hint that everything will work out just fine.

“If you stay, I’m gonna make you glad you did,” Marlowe implores on the album’s final track, and it’s fitting of the entire LP. While Sad Songs for the Soul takes listeners on a journey through heartache, it’s a cathartic and impassioned experience that everyone can relate to.

Country Swag Picks:

1. Burning House
2. How’s the Leaving Going
3. Hello Whiskey

Sad Songs For The Soul Track List:

1. Burning House – Camaron Ochs (Cam), Jeff Bhasker, Tyler Johnson
2. Friend of Mine – Kameron Marlowe, Trannie Anderson, Jonathan Smith
3. Hello Whiskey – Kameron Marlowe, Kendell Marvel, Phil O’Donnell
4. Here Lies The Fool – Kameron Marlowe, Laci Kaye Booth, Ben West
5. Hungover You – Bryan Martin and Ben Roberts
6. The Basement – Carson Chamberlain, Wyatt McCubbin, R. Anthony Smith
7. Highway Song – Kameron Marlowe
8. How’s The Leaving Going – Kameron Marlowe, Vince Gill, Lee Thomas Miller
9. Dear God – Kameron Marlowe, Kendell Marvel
10. If You Stay – Carson Chamberlain, Wyatt McCubbin, R. Anthony Smith