Originally from Kentucky, Hannah Ellis started her career in music with a self-financed EP after leaving university. Since then she’s written songs for artists including Russell Dickerson, Emily Weisband and Cassadee Pope, and toured alongside the likes of Carly Pearce and Dwight Yoakam. She’s also racked up 40 million streams of her own, been named as one to watch by Rolling Stone and CMT, appeared on the Grand Ole Opry multiple times and made her UK live debut last year at C2C. Now she’s back with her debut album, ‘That Girl’, on which she co-wrote every song.
The 13-track project opens with ‘Country Can’, which Ellis previously released as a single. It very much sets the tone for the rest of the album, with its mellow yet upbeat twangy melody and anthemic chorus. The rich, smooth tones of Ellis’ vocal come through really well and I liked the almost gospel feel of the song as it celebrates the power of country music that inspires you to clap along, as well as the rocking guitar riff.
One thing which stood out throughout the project is Ellis’s skill as a songwriter. She has an ear for a really great turn of phrase and I love her ability to put clever twists into her lyrics. The sparse, dramatic title track is a great example of this as she sings about being a person who ‘wears my feelings like a T shirt’ and faking confidence to get over a breakup. Elsewhere, the smart, bluesy ‘Still’ sees her warning herself not to fall for a no-good ex’s charms, whilst ‘Home And A Hometown’ is packed with details of paper-thin walls, a family that talks too loudly and a name-checked bar, as well as a joyful-sounding chorus.
For me many of Ellis’s strongest moments come in the slower songs. ‘Someone Else’s Heartbreak’, a piano ballad written in response to Ellis’s sister experiencing a breakup, is a raw, emotional number that sees her hit some huge notes on the bridge whilst tugging at your heartstrings. I also loved the soulful, warm ‘Somebody Else’, which put a different spin on a love song, as well as ‘Plans’ with its sweet, dreamy melody and heartfelt, hopeful lyrics as she looks ahead to a future life together with her partner.
That said, there’s still plenty of time for Ellis to show her playful side too. The pop-influenced ‘Us’ has a nostalgic, flirty feel about it, whilst ‘Wine Country’ is a fun, cheeky ode to small town life and ‘Karma On The Rocks’ delivers sass in spades as she belts out the kiss-off, rapid-fire chorus. She also peppers the album with rocky touches, particularly on the stomping, swaggering ‘Replaceable’ which oozes confidence over a wailing guitar riff as she reminds her lover just how unique she is.
Ellis closes the record with ‘One Of These Days’, a reflective, soaring number that shows her contemplating how her hard work now will be worth it when she’s looking back in the future, before finishing with ‘Too Much And Not Enough’. The stripped-back acoustic song is probably her most raw and open track of the set, as she confronts her feelings of insecurity and wrestles with her inner conflict, whilst also hitting some impressive high notes. It’s a really vulnerable moment for her and the abrupt finish leaves you wanting to hear more.
Overall ‘That Girl’ shows off the rich soulful quality of Ellis’s vocal and her smart songwriting, as well as her range of musical influences. Some of the songs do have a slight tendency to run together, but it’s a solid start for her and should serve as a strong introduction to her sound for new fans, as well as exploring different sides to her music for those who’ve already discovered her. If you’re a fan of early Maren Morris or Kelsea Ballerini’s recent stuff, this is definitely worth checking out, and I’m intrigued to see where she’ll go from here.
Track listing: 1. Country Can 2. Us 3. That Girl 4. Wine Country 5. Someone Else’s Heartbreak 6. Karma On The Rocks 7. Still 8. Replaceable 9. Somebody Else 10. Plans 11. Home And A Hometown 12. One Of These Days 13. Too Much And Not Enough Record label: Curb Records Release date: 12th January 2024
