Lainey Wilson ‘Bell Bottom Country’ – Album Review

Lainey Wilson’s new album, Bell Bottom Country is out now, October 28th on all streaming platforms. Take a listen and read our full review below.

From the opening chords of “Hillbilly Hippie,” it’s clear that Bell Bottom Country is not your typical modern country album, in the best way possible. There’s twang and soul, rock and revival, creating a unique sound that immediately invites listeners in, letting them know they’re about to experience something special.

ACM New Female Artist of the Year Lainey Wilson has firmly embraced her own style which she describes as “country music with flare.” On her sophomore release, Bell Bottom Country she exemplifies that description. “I’ve lived quite a bit of life the past few years, and I have a lot more to say,” she reveals. “Sure, I love a good pair of bell bottoms, but Bell Bottom Country to me has always been about the flare and what makes someone unique — I have really embraced mine, and I hope y’all can hear that across this project.”

On the rising superstar’s second album, she is exposing her various sides, both lyrically and musically. Here, the Louisiana native is tender yet rowdy, sweet yet gritty, and honest yet vulnerable. 

On songs like “Road Runner,” “Atta Girl,” and the previously-released “Heart Like a Truck,” she’s a runner struggling to stay in one place, dealing with the heartbreak that comes with big dreams, proclaiming “I gotta chase the sunrise to keep the tumble in my weed.” Meanwhile, both “Atta Girl” and “Heart Like a Truck” find her down but not out, with a heart that’s a lot stronger than it may seem.

“I got a heart like a truck // It’s been drug through the mud // Runs on dreams and gasoline // And that ole highway holds the key // It’s got a lead foot down when it’s leaving // Lord knows it’s taken a hell of a beating // A little bit of love is all that it’s needing // But it’s good as it is tough // I got a heart like a truck.”

The singer-songwriter embraces a good time on songs like “Hold My Halo,” “Grease,” and “This One’s Gonna Cost Me.” “Grease” is a funky doo-wop-laden jam, while “Hold My Halo” has hints of “Redneck Woman,” mixing driving guitars with a powerful girl-power-infused anthem. Here, Wilson is ready for an evening that would make an angel blush, breaking out the denim, and leaving a little lipstick on a Solo cup. “Gonna tear up this town, like a drunk tornado,” She growls. “Light it up, Tell that angel inside of me to hide her wings and lay low, hold my halo.”

On “Weak-End” she’s dealing with a broken heart, while “Watermelon Moonshine” is a bittersweet ode to young love. While the former is a mournful yet clever take on the drunk dial “Wish that Friday wasn’t just another way to say lonely”), the latter recalls first drinks, first loves, and first times.

“Too young to know what love was // But we were learnin’ on a sweet buzz // There’s never nothin’ like the first time // And mine’s always gonna taste like // Watermelon moonshine”

With “Those Boots (Deddy’s Song),” the thirty-year-old pays homage to her father, who has left big “boots” for a future husband to fill. As of late, the song has become all the more meaningful to the singer, who nearly lost her father earlier this year to a fungal infection that caused him to have a stroke and lose an eye.

Likewise “Me, You, and Jesus,” “Live Off” and “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” find Wilson tipping her cowboy hat to her country life, her faith, and her upbringing. “Wildflowers” is a dusty ode to the way she was raised, proclaiming, “I’m five generations of blazing a trail,” while “Me, You, and Jesus” shows Wilson finding solace with two important men in her life. “When the world comes between us, Y’all don’t give up or give a damn,” She sings on the clever song of love and faith. “You just take me for who I am, We can get through anything, And baby we make one hell of a team, Me, you and Jesus.”

In recent months, there have been multiple female acts (Ashley McBryde, Pillbox Patti, Miranda Lambert) releasing gritty, soulful, and unabashedly country albums, and Lainey Wilson’s Bell Bottom Country is yet another release that proves the best country music might just not be found on the radio.

Lainey Wilson – Bell Bottom Country Track List: