COUNTRY POP: FEMALE SINGER-SONGWRITER

A strong follow-up to Katie Pruitt’s debut of 2020 continues in the same vein. Like Expectations, Mantras is autobiographical. While the sound is highly produced and polished, themes include leaving a conservative upbringing, living an out life as a musician, and going through some very tough times. Pruitt describes this record as “a full circle journey from self-sabotage to self-compassion.” All songs by Pruitt; lyrics in the booklet.

FCC clean

1 ** mid-tempo country rocker. Leaving behind old beliefs & discovering new ones (3:17)
2 * slow & soft, then faster & electric. She accepts that religion can bring people peace, but rejects Christianity that’s used as a weapon. She’s left these lies & the liars behind (4:25)
3 mid-slow elec folk. dark place: lonely, depressed, wishing she were someone else (3:52)
4 ** slow. pretty but ambivalent love song. she & gf are apart with odd feelings (4:23)
5 * slow. pretty folktronica ballad. remembering high school when she was a bit awkward and jealous of boys because they could have pretty girlfriends (4:21)
6 ** mid-slow. As she grows she better understands her parents. Lovely melody. (3:41)
7 ** slow. pretty & simple song compares childhood naivety to grownup heartaches (4:18)
8 slow, folky. girlfriend’s life is tied to Katie’s dreams; this might not last. bittersweet (3:18)
9 mid-tempo country rock. dealing with very negative feelings about her life (3:27)
10 mid-slow. going thru ennui & depression on her own. schmaltzy orchestration (4:48)
11 * slow ballad. love is going thru doldrums but she’s trying hard to keep it going. acoustic guitar & strings (4:10)