Hailey Whitters- Corn Queen
Label: Big Loud
Producer: Jake Gear
Country singer-songwriters Hailey Whitters has quietly spent the first half of the 2020s carving out a niche as both a modern-day neo-traditionalist, as well as one of the most promising new talents of the present era. With kitschy, homespun tales of small-town Americana that recall both Brandy Clark and early Kacey Musgraves, and sprightly 90s-country sound that recalls the mainstream breakthrough of The Chicks, and it’s a combination that has earned her praise among purists as one of young country’s saving graces. As she launches her third official studio LP, she sits at a career point where acts like Musgraves and the Chicks both expanded their sounds and subject matters into new expansive directions. It’s a bit of a damned-if-you-do-or-don’t crossroads; as doubling down on her previous trappings could get her labeled as a one-trick pony, while conversely a stylistic evolution could get her panned as a “sell-out” by her current fanbase.
As if the album title of Corn Queen wasn’t a clear-enough indication, Whitters opts of the former path throughout the record, planting her feet even more firmly into the down-home territory she’s delivered thus far. At a generous sixteen tracks, there’s seemingly endless moments like “High on the Hog”, “Shotgun Wedding Baby” (which gleefully recalls the grassy Celtic sounds of “Ready to Run”), “Helluva Heart”, “High on a Heartbreak”, the title track, “The Nail”, “Wagon” and more that provide equally poignant and humorous deliveries of the same down-home tropes that have filled her preceding records. Admittedly, this thematic setting does run the risk of becoming gimmicky or trite at this point, but Whitters keeps her music fresh through the charming purity of her voice, her sharp lyrical turns-of-phrase (“Hearsay” is a prime showcase of this simple but vital gift), and a crisp and authentic sonic entourage of fiddle (you’d think it was Martie Maguire playing throughout) and steel that she isn’t afraid to throw in shades of occasional brass or funk for additional color. Whitters has also demonstrated her ability to flourish in a collaborative space, and this is again evidenced by features with newgrass queen, Molly Tuttle (“Prodigal Daughter”), Americana fave Charles Wesley Godwin (“I Don’t Want You”), and country-folkies The Wilder Blue (“DanceMor”), all of which add their own distinct flavor to the overall set in very satisfying ways.
As her career continues, Whitters will want to continually finds ways to stay on the right side of the “country-corn” path, a challenge that will only grow greater with subsequent albums. All signs seem to indicate that she’ll have little trouble navigating that hurdle, however the catalog of the aforementioned Brandy Clark could definitely serve as a helpful study in the arena of balancing cheeky kitsch with heart-wrenching country narratives. Up to this point, I feel like the greatest omission in Whitters’ excellent career has been the presence of that deeper career centerpiece song. Think Clark’s “Hold My Hand”, or Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow”, or any number of peak Miranda Lambert moments like “The House That Built Me”/”Vice”/”Carousel”. Enter “Casseroles”, a rare outside composition with a co-write credit from the great Tom Douglas, who helped pen “House” for Lambert. I’ve been openly raving about this gutting tale of grief and everlasting love since it was released at the beginning of the year, and it continues to strike the same track-stopping punch months later. I still cannot properly express the emotional connection the song elicits, but Whitters is owed much acclaim not only for her selection of the piece, but for the grace and layered nuance with which she performs it. It’s a transcendent moment both in terms of country song-craft, and within her young discography. It’s most definitely one of those career centerpieces we’ll be talking about decades from now.
Ultimately, Corn Queen does indeed offer plenty of corn, camp, and charm. But it’s also loaded with an abundance of heart, soul, and rich artistry. It equates to one of the year’s most equally entertaining and stirring records, and another successfully steadfast release from an artist who is not only uniquely gifted, but also still uncovering the full depth of her considerable talent.
Track Listing:
- “High on the Hog” (Hailey Whitters)
- “Prodigal Daughter” featuring Molly Tuttle (Whitters, Paul Sikes, Bryan Simpson)
- “Shotgun Wedding Baby” (Whitters, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Caroline Watkins)
- “Helluva Heart” (Whitters, Sikes, Trannie Anderson)
- “High on a Heartbreak” (Whitters, Jessie Jo Dillon, Hillary Lindsey, David Garcia)
- “It’ll Do” (Whitters, Chris LaCorte, Lindsey, Jon Nite)
- “Hearsay” (Whitters, Anderson, Sikes)
- “Anything Like Me” (Whitters, Anderson, Sikes)
- “I Don’t Want You” featuring Charles Wesley Godwin (Whitters, Nite, Gordie Sampson)
- “The Nail” (Whitters, Simpson, Ryan Tyndell)
- “Casseroles” (Tom Douglas, Lindsey, James Slater)
- “Wagon” (Anderson, Ben Hayslip, Seth Mosley)
- “Wholesome” (Whitters, Luke Dick)
- “White Limousine” (Whitters, Dillon, Jesse Frasure)
- “Corn Queen” (Whitters, Bobby Pinson)
- “DanceMor” featuring The Wilder Blue (Whitters, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Nicolle Galyon)
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