From the album art of her wearing a pink motorcycle helmet and a tight-fitting superhero outfit and gloves to the raucous defiant spirit of the title track and lead single, it’s clear that Kimberly York – known since the start of her career as Kimberly Morgan York – is letting loose having having, yep, a lot of FUN, embracing a whole new chapter of her life.
The good news is, even if Spotify may take its sweet time changing the way her moniker is listed, she’s still the same wildly insightful, world wise straight shooting traditional country singer she’s always been, offering, to crib from early Elton John, some good old country comfort amidst a sea of Nashville country popsters. A mission statement she offered that I tacked on to an earlier review still stands: “I want listeners to be able to connect with my music…to see reflections of their own stories in mind. I hope my songs make people feel less alone in their journey.”
Intriguingly, while cheeky energy of the song “Fun” feels liberating for both the singer and all of us who listen, the rest of the eight-track collection is less wild and a bit more introspective while covering some heavy, culturally relevant themes. Case in point: A breezy, loping, classic styled story song that Patsy Cline just might want to re-animate for the chance to record, “Mama’s Done Lost Her Mind” paints a tragic chronicle of a mother having gone mad because she made the choice to stay with her abusive, crazymaking husband.
On the social commentary side, York fashions a master list of foolish reasons ignorant people hate others who are different. But it’s not all bad news, as the singer offers the antidote to such hate: You go on and shine/It’s your time/Go on and hold your flag/Way up high.” In the end, she leaves everything up to the Lord.
Elsewhere, York finds interesting ways to chronicle the vicissitudes of romance, cleverly attributing fast changes to an out of the blue alien invasion on the bluesy mid-tempo ballad “What Happened to California”; passionately lamenting the loss of love on the soulful, meditative ballad “When You Loved Me Best”; and offering a friend who’s down on her luck some sweet encouragement on “Hold Back the Tears.” York saves the most heartfelt for last with “Still Waters,” another sparkling mid-tempo ballad where she declares her undying love for a deeply flawed lover upon returning from a “grass is hopefully greener on the other side” kind of journey that ultimately led her back.
With or without the Morgan, Kimberly York is a magnificent, authentic singer/songwriter whose artistry grows deeper with every recording.
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