Sad songs make country music great. They are relatable, somehow comforting, and… addictively depressing?
Well, Sunny Sweeney follows the great-country-record recipe and proves once again why she is a master of the craft with her new release Married Alone.
With two divorces on her belt and many heartbreaking stories to tell, Sweeney has just shared with the world what might be the most brutally honest album of her career.
On a recent social media update, the same day she announced her new record, she showed confidence in her work and an optimistic view of what her future as an artist holds:
“I love music. It’s the thing that I was meant to make and contribute to the planet. So I have no desire to do anything else.
It’s not that I want to prove people wrong. It’s that I know that what I’m doing is right.”
The heart-wrenching collection of songs about frayed relationships and the struggles of being on the road was almost entirely co-written by her.
Paul Cauthen was brought on as the album’s producer, along The Texas Gentlemen’s Beau Bedford, moving on from Sweeney’s previous producer, Dave Brainard.
Cauthen is a big name in the industry but has been exploring some non-traditional territory as of late. However, with the album’s first song, “Tie Me Up,” it is clear that Married Alone is staying true to its country roots.
“Tie Me Up”
And while the title track wasn’t written by Sunny herself, she felt right at home with it:
“My jaw hit the floor when I heard that song, because I had just gone through my second divorce, which is also cliché of a country singer. I was still pretty raw about my divorce, but also very candid and trying to find levity in the situation.
You have to be able to laugh at yourself at some point and not let it just totally get you down.”
Sweeney puts her life into her music, creating a palpable feeling that comes across as completely genuine.
“Married Alone” featuring Vince Gill
Married Alone is sure to be a hit with fans of Sweeney’s previous work, as well as those who appreciate a damn good country album.
So pour yourself a glass of whiskey, and sit back in the sadness of it all. Because when you’re deep down there, that is where hope and renewal begin.
It’ll hurt real good.
“A Song Can’t Fix Everything” featuring Paul Cauthen
“Someday You’ll Call My Name”
