In country music, artists as cynically honest as Morgan Wade don’t come on the scene often. This interesting, tattooed character consistently delivers gutsy, alternative-rock-inspired songs. She isn’t just a sad girl in a bar; she has some demons, and she’s never shy to wear her troubles on her sleeve. The country music riser has shown us time and again she’s not afraid to write about the nitty-gritty life that most of us wish we could bury away. With a country twang mixed with themes more akin to grunge rock than anything, it can feel very polarizing to the country faithful to jump directly into the twisted world of Morgan’s music. After the breakout success of her album Reckless, we see all of this emotional tension come to a head with her highly-anticipated new album Psychopath.
It feels like Wade had caught lightning in a bottle with her album Reckless; it was a gritty, introspective album that launched Wade into the stratosphere with one instant classic after another. With the first hit of her blossoming career “Wilder Days” going gold this past June, the future was bright for Morgan Wade. When a debut album has the kind of impact that hers did, the follow-up is where real pressure starts to mount, as we learn whether that artist has enough creative juice to build on their momentum.
In the Virginia native’s case, Psychopath turned out to be another great outing for Wade, and it comes with a number of potential hits. With Sadler Vaden of Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit in the producer’s chair, the record sounds like the natural consequence of Reckless with plenty of shimmery guitars and densely layered harmonies from start to finish.
With her opening track “Domino,” Morgan kicks things off right with a poppy mix of drums and steel guitar and a good story to boot. It has arguably the best hook on the record, full of the same punchy energy that made Reckless so awesome. From there, listeners are treated to a series of wistful pop-rock jams in “80s Movie,” “Losers Like Me,” and a particular standout in “Roman Candle.” So much of Morgan’s music is mired in self-loathing and bitterness, but this little number feels best suited for a late ’90s rom-com. It’s grateful, longing, and just sweet overall, which is a fun change of pace.
Continuing another prominent theme on Reckless, songs like “Phantom Feelings” and “Outrun Me” evoke this sense that Wade has poor luck with love, rendezvousing with lovers who don’t quite fit right and often being left in the dust. We also get the sense she’s past caring, or perhaps she doesn’t want to care whether she’s loved or not. Sad songs are very much in vogue in country music today, but the fearless angst that’s become Morgan’s specialty never gets old. Make no mistake; this isn’t some dreary, bleak soliloquy. Our heroine carries her troubles with confidence and often a bit of pride, which keeps her songs fresh and multi-dimensional
She puts the bow onto this album with “27 Club,” a song that doesn’t quite fit the mold of the rest of the album. Named after a real club/collection of artists who died at the age of 27, this song gives us a detailed look at a not-so-glamorous life that Wade feels she’s running from. Even so, the money and fortune that comes along with the status of a popular singer doesn’t seem to alleviate the emptiness she’s lived with for so long.
She mentions time and again “At least now I’m getting paid,” to the melody of a lone six-string. It’s biting and confessional as always, but from a very different point of view. More often than not, Morgan paints herself as a loser, kicked down by life with generally low ambition. This song exposes us to a very different character; a person who’s been given a lot but still deals with the same problems as that same old “loser.”
From one song to another, Morgan is on a quest to be happy, and Psychopath is an eclectic, creative continuation of that journey. Success continues to come her way, but she seems fairly unbothered, still psychoanalyzing herself and looking for a way to make sense of the crazy, confused world she lives in. Parts of this record do feel like rehashes of Reckless, but there’s enough here to qualify Psychopath as an applause-worthy sophomore effort.
8.9
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