On 'Brave' there are a few up-tempo songs that remind me of typical country but they have their own unique flare and sound on country music.I love 'Nashville Grey Skies' as it demonstrates this country sound that reminds me a little of Dolly Parton in the opening verse. I like how it sounds like they're bringing country to the UK, and creating their own Nashville in their home country. I also love how they sing about 'dancing in the rain' which is typical Britain. It's fun and shows their character. Another of their upbeat and fun tracks is 'Friday Night' its kind of like an anthem about letting loose and having fun with your friends. To me, it has a little bit of pop thrown into it, in particular on the chorus. My favourite of the uptempo tracks though is 'All Over Again' it's cute and tells the story of falling in love with someone over and over. Their voices harmonise and flirt with each other which I really love. It's also really catchy, I can't get the song out of my head.
The track that I find the most different on the album is 'Jekyll and Hyde'. Its more edgy than anything else on the album with a more rock/country approach. For me, I take away that they bring out a different side of the person that they are with. I think it's a good use of the story and makes them a little quirky. I love songs that use well known stories to help tell their own messages. It also shows a different side of The Shires and shows that they are quite a diverse band and have a wide range and tones to their voices.
As well as the up beat and fun tracks, they also show a more romantic and softer side to their character with slower tracks which I can't get enough of. Title track 'Brave' is one of my favourite tracks on the entire album. In the verses, their voices remind me a little of The Civil Wars who are my favourite folk act. Ben Earle's voice sounds silky smooth in this track and gives me shivers. I like how the track doesn't stay slow and peaceful throughout the entire song and builds in the chorus into something more powerful making it sound like they are fighting for each other. 'I Just Wanna Love You' is another favourite. It sounds very reflective talking about what they once wanted and how now that they've grown up that doesn't matter and how they would rather be that special person. I love how they tell stories within their music. It's an incredibly romantic song and I can see this being used on TV or in movies.
'Made In England' describes typical British things that living in Britain we probably don't appreciate or think of as a nuisance. They make rain sound romantic with the 'grey skies' and I love the line, 'vinegar and salt on my lips, nothing like Friday night fish and chips' that really gave me a craving to go to the seaside for fish and chips. It shows that they are patriotic to England despite this country sound that is more typically associated with America.
Following on with the more ballad and slower tracks, we have 'State Lines' which gave me shivers, as they sing about all the little things that make up the relationship. I think Crissie Rhodes voice sounds so beautiful and vulnerable. You can hear the raw happiness in their voices that sounds incredibly precious. 'Black and White' portrays a very clear image of how when you're in love you're just yourself and everything is in black and white. It's incredibly romantic. Finally, we have 'Only Midnight'. I think this is the perfect song to end the album. For me it tells the story of being brave and exposing how you feel to the person you love, it shows their voices off perfectly, with a lot of power behind their voices and there's that flirting in the music again and between their voices that I love. It's all about being brave and being vulnerable. Which I think sums up The Shires perfectly. Country music isn't something we hear a lot of in the UK and so for them to come out as a country duo and stay true to who they are as artists is incredibly brave. I also think their lyrics are very vulnerable and tells relatable stories. I was thoroughly impressed with this album and will no doubt be listening to it for a long time.
Check out The Shires music video for 'Friday Night' below:
Have you checked out The Shires album? What's your favourite track?
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