Ella Langley- Dandelion
Label: Columbia
Producers: Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Ben West
As rising country darling Ella Langley rolls out her sophomore album, she finds her burgeoning career experiencing one of those truly rare, lightning-in-a-bottle moments that are still thrilling to behold in the popular music universe. As of release date, lead single “Choosin’ Texas” has not only proven to be a runaway country smash, but a certified crossover moment, registering a record-setting seven-week reign atop the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Now modern country music has certainly been experiencing a renaissance in the pop realm throughout the 2020s, making a Hot 100 crowning fairly these days. But there’s something truly remarkable about the widespread domination of Langley and “Choosin'”, and that’s the fact that it absolutely avoids making even the slightest overture for crossover success. It boasts the same humble, neo-trad twang that Langley charmed us with when she broke through two years ago with the half-spoken, surprise smash Riley Green duet, “You Look Like You Love Me”. Plain and simple: Ella Langley is not only providing a second arc to mainstream country’s pop dominance in the 2020s; she’s also giving it the legitimacy and pure country bona-fides that it didn’t necessarily possess prior.
And refreshingly, “Choosin’ Texas” is an indicator, rather than an outlier, in terms of the overall stylistic direction of Dandelion, of which Langley co-produced with both Ben West and resident country superstar, Miranda Lambert. Vocally, she’s found the kind of rustic and subtly powerful sweet-spot in her limited but charmingly evocative range that contemporary Megan Moroney would kill for. As a songwriter, she and her collaborators continue to foster a razor-sharp combination of wit, wisdom, and vulnerability. And stylistically, she continues to demonstrate a commitment to a pure and honest country sound that subverts any suspicion of pop influence that would naturally arise for any other artist currently boasting the cross-over status that she is. Not only does she freaking cover Kitty Wells’ “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” (a 1950s country cover was even rare from the golden crop of women in the 1990s’ genre scene), but then she bookends the record with “Froggy Went a Courtin'” (!), her favorite traditional folk song from childhood. This young lady isn’t following anyone’s stylistic agenda but her own, y’all.
Most interesting however is the era from which Langley is sourcing her roots-based country sound. It’s no secret that in the 2020s’, 1990s country is undeniably en vogue again, which tracks perfectly with the typical three-decade calendar and cycle. However, Dandelion is not curating its influence from the likes of Pam, Patty, and Trisha, much less Faith, Shania, and Martina. Or even the 2000s sounds of Sara, Carrie, and producer Miranda. Rather, Langley’s sound is deeply rooted in the twangier shades of the much (both fairly and unfairly) bastardized Urban Cowboy movement of the early 1980s. This was boldly evident by the killer guitar hooks of “Choosin’ Texas”, and it sets the table for the sonic fingerprints throughout the album of that era’s hitmakers like Ronnie Milsap, Janie Fricke, Mickey Gilley, Lacy J. Dalton, Alabama, and early-George Strait. She curates these influences through a modern and undeniably individualistic lens that fosters a balanced soundscape of retro and new, and this blend truly flourishes on moments like “Low Lights”, “Be Her”, “Bottom of My Boots”, “I Gotta Quit”, “Last Call For Us”, and the Lambert duet, “Butterfly Season”. And then there are the more stripped moments where Langley pares things back to the basics, like “Loving Life Again”, “Most Good Things Do”, and especially “Speaking Terms”. These are the truly supreme moments that shed light on her raw strengths as a singer, lyricist, and storyteller, and provide an accessible and entertaining record with a equally vibrant heart.
Dandelion is a stellar sophomore effort, and one that emphatically justifies all of Ella Langley’s recent success. Most importantly however, it equally solidifies her long-term promise as an young and vital artistic voice in the country world and beyond. Significant as they are, both the crossover chart domination of a given artist, and the overall vitality of a specific style in the pop mainstream, will come and go. What matters most is what the artistic story and trajectory of an artist like Ella Langley will be in the months, years, and decades ahead. And just like in “Choosin’ Texas”, we don’t have the option of a crystal ball, so only time can tell for sure. But based on what we do have to go off at this juncture–the quick succession of two very satisfying LPs–Ella’s got as much potential to be in the long game as any of the very best artists who have emerged in recent memory.
Track Listing:
- “Froggy Went A Courtin’ (Intro)” (Traditional)
- “Dandelion” (Ella Langley, Austin Goodloe, Brett Tyler, Joybeth Taylor)
- “Choosin’ Texas” (Langley, Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, Taylor)
- “We Know Us” (Langley, Ben West, Taylor)
- “Low Lights” (Langley, Taylor)
- “Be Her” (Langley, Hardy, Jordan Schmidt, Smith Ahnquist)
- “You & Me Time” (Langley, Aaron Ratiere, “Taylor)
- “Loving Life Again” (Langley, Ernest, Devin Dawson)
- “Bottom of Your Boots” (Langley, Will Bundy, Jon Nite)
- “Speaking Terms” (Helene Cronin, Taylor)
- “I Gotta Quit” (Langley, Ratiere, Taylor)
- “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” (JD Miller)
- “Last Call For Us” (Langley, Goodloe, Tyler, Taylor)
- “Broken” (Langley, Goodloe, Laura Veltz)
- “Somethin’ Simple” (Langley, MegMcRee, Chris LaCorte, Taylor)
- “Butterfly Season” featuring Miranda Lambert (Langley, Lambert, Dick, Taylor)
- “Most Good Things Do” (Acoustic)” (Langley, Dick, Ratiere, Taylor)
- “Froggy Went A Courtin'” (Outro)” (Traditional)
The 706 
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