With her new six-track EP ‘Polaroids,' Lanie Gardner offers a vivid collection of snapshots—each song a fleeting moment of emotion, identity, or rebellion captured with colour and clarity. Like flipping through a stack of old instant photos, the EP moves from sun-soaked nostalgia to darker, more sultry tones, presenting a multidimensional artist evolving beyond her singer-songwriter roots. Where Gardner’s debut leaned introspective and earnest, Polaroids marks a confident leap into Southern pop-country terrain, bringing groove, grit, and a whole lot of attitude.
The opener, ‘Takin’ the Slow Ride,' sets the tone with a hazy, summer-road-trip vibe. Funky guitars and a warm Hammond organ lay the foundation for a track that sways with hypnotic ease. “Smell the honeysuckle, listen to Sweet Home Alabama,” Gardner invites, urging listeners to embrace the unhurried rhythm of Southern living. It’s a laid-back declaration of freedom—windows down, sunglasses on—wrapped in funky, understated cool that recalls the breezy charm of Kacey Musgraves with a dash of Sheryl Crow.
From there, the ride darkens with ‘Boys Like You,' a Western-tinged track galloping with rhythmic urgency. Gardner’s breathy, sultry vocals add a noir-ish edge to this tale of romantic reckoning. “Boys like you were only made to run,” she sings, with the fatalism of someone who’s learned the hard way. The track plays like a modern cowgirl’s warning set to the steady beat of hooves in motion—a musical chase scene with a heart.
One of the standout moments on the EP is ‘Buzzkill,' a funky, biting, and wickedly fun anthem about calling out a toxic presence. Built on a handclap rhythm and twitchy guitars, Gardner tells the story of a “big, beautiful city broad” who’s hijacked a friend’s life. “She’s a crowd chaser, heartbreaker, don’t be a fool,” she warns, in what feels like a southern-fried intervention set to one of the catchiest choruses of the year. It’s part sass, part tough love, and entirely infectious.
‘Concrete Cowboy' returns to the theme of male façades, this time targeting the city slicker posing as a Southern heartthrob. “You pulled a wildflower out of the southern ground and watched her colour fade out,” Gardner sings on this moody country-pop ballad, her voice laced with disappointment and quiet defiance. Like much of the EP, it’s a reflection of what it feels like to navigate love and illusion in your twenties—personal, poignant, and painfully relatable.
The final two tracks push Gardner further into the mainstream country-pop space. ‘Hold Your Horses' is a grooving Southern anthem about needing a break from the chaos, built around the clever metaphor of literally and figuratively slowing down. “We grew up bored so we grew up good,” she declares, channeling the earthy strength of acts like Sugarland. Meanwhile, ‘Little Bit of Lovin’ leans more into Morgan Wallen-style modern country with finger snaps, bass-heavy beats, and intimate, sultry lyrics. “We got that just can’t get enough, strong, steady kind of touch,” she coos, giving the EP a sensual, radio-ready modern Pop finish.
With ‘Polaroids,' Gardner proves she’s no longer the serious singer-songwriter of her debut, but a dynamic artist who can shift between moods, genres and personas with ease. This EP is less about telling one cohesive story and more about capturing distinct, emotional moments—just like the title suggests. It’s a confident, multifaceted evolution that shows she’s not only got the voice, but also the vision, to claim her space in modern Southern pop and mainstream country.
Tracklist: 1. Takin' the Slow Ride 2. Boys Like You 3. Buzzkill 4. Concrete Cowboy 5. Hold Your Horses 6. Little Bit of Lovin' Release Date: June 6th Record Label: BBR / BMG Buy ‘Polaroids' right here.
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