By Joshua Wallace
Some songwriters tell stories, and some songwriters set moods. Courtney Patton is a storyteller and it is certainly front and center on her third album titled What It’s Like To Fly Alone. The sound on the record is pure country as you’ve come to expect from Courtney Patton. However, this album is all about the stories and these songs will work with a full band or stripped down with just an acoustic guitar.
Patton’s storytelling is prevalent in one of my favorite tracks titled “Round Mountain”. Round Mountain is an actual small town in Texas that you’ll miss if you blink while driving through it. This song is the story of a woman trying to survive in that environment with all of its hardships. She eventually strays off the path and it leads to a bitter ending. Some songs carry a more personal note. “Fourteen Years” is a heartfelt ballad that Patton wrote for her sister who has long passed away but lives on in memory. It’s a touching song that anyone who has suffered loss can relate to.
Another favorite is the track “Open Flame” which is about a relationship coming to and end and how it might hurt but the hurt doesn’t last forever. Later on in the album we have the track “Gold Standard” which is a beautiful romantic ballad that I feel is one of my favorites on the record. I can hear it working well as a duet with Jason Eady at future shows with both of them.
A new album from Courtney Patton is like a new short story collection from your favorite author. You want to dive into it and find your favorite story while at the same time devouring every one. Courtney keeps the music behind the stories purely country with an amazing band behind her. What It’s Like To Fly Alone is available everywhere digitally Friday, February 16th, 2018. You can pick up CDs and vinyl on Courtney Patton’s website.
Favorite Tracks : Round Mountain, Fourteen Years, Gold Standard, What It’s Like To Fly Alone, Devil’s Hand
Courtney Patton – What It’s Like To Fly Alone (2018)
1.Shove
2.What It’s Like To Fly Alone
3.Round Mountain
4.Open Flame
5.I’ve Got One Waiting
6.This Road To You
7.Words To My Favorite Memory
8.Sometimes She Flies
9.Gold Standard
10. Devil’s Hand
11.Red Bandanna Blue
12.Fourteen Years
