Megan Moroney: ‘Lucky’ Debut Album Review

Megan Moroney’s major-label debut album, Lucky is officially out now, May 5th on all streaming platforms. Learn more and listen to the new album below.

Since the release of 2022’s “Tennessee Orange,” Megan Moroney has been one of Nashville’s most buzzed about new talents. Today, the Sony Music Nashville/ Columbia Records’ recording artist released her debut album, Lucky, a compelling mix of lyrical prowess, infectious melodies, and traditional country twang.

As the follow up to her EP, Pistol Made of Roses, the Lucky LP is the next step for the Georgia native. Produced by Kristian Bush of Sugarland, the album allows her to flex her impressive songwriting skills, co-writing on each of the project’s thirteen tracks. 

​​”After we wrote the title track ‘Lucky,’ I knew I wanted it to be the name of my debut album,” she explained in a press release. “If you know anything about me and my story, a lot of things (both good and bad) happened to get me to where I am today, and I just feel very lucky.”  

From the first listen of the album, it’s glaringly apparent why she chose “Lucky” as the album’s title, as the track is truly an immediate standout. It’s a catchy, two-stepping, hand-clapping country tune about not being afraid to make bad decisions with an ex while drunk. However, the twist here is that it’s him who’s the lucky one, as she’s not afraid to give in when inebriated.

“Cause me my phone and the neon’s buzzin’ // Three four in and I’m missin’ your lovin’,” She sings.
“We said naw never again// And we said we’d be better as friends // But come over and don’t overthink it // Tonight you’re lucky I’m drinkin.”

Throughout the album, most of the tracks center around relationship issues, broken hearts, and losing yourself in a relationship, but lyrically, Moroney does this differently than most. There’s the heartwrenching “Girl in the Mirror,” which finds her grappling with the fact that she no longer recognizes herself in the light of a relationship that may not be the best. “She loves the boy more than the girl in the mirror,” She sings on one of the album’s most poignant lyrics.

She’s more savage on “Sleep On My Side,” which has her tangled up with a Mr. Wrong, declaring that his wandering eye makes him not-so-right for her. “I sleep on my side and you sleep with everyone,” She muses. Likewise, the twangy “Georgia Girl” deals with a two-timer, as she mentions all of her man’s other women by the states they’re from.

“Kansas Anymore” is a sparse breakup ballad that finds her realizing that a relationship has ended with a play on the old adage that they’re “not in Kansas anymore,” while “Mustang on the Me” finds her wondering which will break down first as she literally and figuratively leaves an ex in the rearview mirror.

One of the album’s clear standouts is “Why Johnny,” which finds her musically chatting with June Carter Cash on her relationship with notorious womanizer, Johnny Cash. On the stripped ballad, she muses, “I think I’ve got a Johnny of my own,” asking the elder woman “What made you wanna make it work?” despite a man drowning himself in “booze and pills and perfume smells.”

It’s not all heartbreak on Lucky, as the album’s opener, “I’m Not Pretty,” finds the singer-songwriter playfully musing about all the untrue things her ex’s new flame may say about her.

“Somewhere out there my ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend’s scrolling through my Instagram //  Tearing me down, passing the phone around like there’s nothing better to talk about //  Zooming out, Zooming in, overanalyzin’ // Like the queen of the mean girls’ committee // But hey whatever helps // Keep on telling yourself I’m not pretty.”

“Another on the Way” is a sassy ode to moving on, as there’s always another man, and another drink, just around the corner, while “Traitor Joe” is a classic story song that has Moroney letting Joe know his girlfriend is cheating on him.

“Tennessee Orange” is an interesting juxtaposition of lyrics versus music as the instrumentation sounds downtrodden and dark, which has her proclaiming her love for her man through wearing his team’s, and her family’s rival’s, colors. “So ‘Tennessee Orange’ is about me being a Georgia girl. I was born and raised in Georgia and I graduated from the University of Georgia. And, I moved to Nashville for music and I met and fell for a Tennessee boy. So, this is kinda my version of a love song,” Megan explains.

The album ends with the lush and almost ethereal “Sad Songs for Sad People” which finds Moroney confused over writing a love song when she tends to thrive on the writing about broken hearts.

“I write sad songs for sad people // Something ’bout the pain // I want every word to hurt like blue eyes crying in the rain,” She proclaims. “They say do what you love and that’s just what I do // I write sad songs for sad people // But I wrote this love song for you.”

On Lucky, Megan Moroney continues to prove why she’s one of country music’s fastest rising stars. With a well-balanced mix of brilliant lyrics, classic country instrumentation and pop sensibilities, she toes the line perfectly in the vein of Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, and even early Taylor Swift. 

Lucky Track List:

1. “I’m Not Pretty”
2. “Lucky”
3. “Tennessee Orange”
4. “Kansas Anymore”
5. “Girl In The Mirror”
6. “Another On The Way”
7. “Traitor Joe”
8. “Why Johnny”
9. “God Plays A Gibson”
10. “Georgia Girl”
11. “Sleep On My Side”
12. “Mustang Or Me”
13. “Sad Songs For Sad People”

Country Swag Picks:

1. Lucky
2. Girl in the Mirror
3. Why Johnny
4. I’m Not Pretty
5. Tennessee Orange

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Megan Moroney releases.

The singer-songwriter will hit the stage at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom on September 20.

To keep up with Megan Moroney, follow her on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.

Lucky is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.