Lindi Ortega "Faded Gloryville" Album Review

     Imagine a smoky lounge in a rough end of town. Seedy characters file in and out while bluesy country music echoes down the alley from a dark haired singer. Her raspy voice cuts through the crowd noise and captivates the downtrodden souls searching for something. If you can imagine that scenario, you’ve pictured the perfect visual representation of Faded Gloryville, the new album from Lindi Ortega. This Canadian-born beauty has been wowing Nashville honkytonks and collecting endless praise from critics since her career began, and this album falls right into that line. Faded Gloryville is a mix of country and blues that is a sonic treat for the broken-hearted.

     This album has three factors that make it stand out. First of all and most importantly, Lindi Ortega’s raspy voice is something special to behold. She has that “it factor” that makes her instantly recognizable. If mainstream country radio wans a strong female presence like they claim, they need ladies with some personality to their voice, not just cookie cutters. Lindi fits the bill perfectly. Listening to her bring some spunk on songs like “Tell It Like It Is” or “When You Ain’t Home” and then get personal and tender on “Half Moon” and shows her impressive range and ability to adapt. She brings some playful but meaningful banter on the bouncy “I Ain’t The Girl”.  

        Matching Lindi’s fantastic voice is the equally recognizable style. As I mentioned before, Lindi has a raspy voice that perfectly complements the blues. The result is an album that has the feel of a sleazy barroom all over it. The opening track, “Ashes”, is the perfect example of this. The song would be right at home in a classic country set list and equally cozy in a blues session. The seamless blurring of the genres is what mainstream Nashville claims to do with country and hip-hop, but never can attain to this level. Never fear, traditional country fans. This album is all country. Even with that bluesy touch, there’s no denying that Lindi is country. “Run Amuck” is a great example of a rockabilly jam that gets your blood pumping.

      Finally, this album really brings it on the songwriting front. There is a slight feeling of melancholy over the album, but always with a glimmer of hope. “Someday Soon” is a great example of that moody song with an uplifting message. The title track, “Faded Gloryville”, is as honest and real of a portrayal of the entertainment industry as you’ll find. For every star that makes it big and every wannabe that burns out early, there’s hundreds of people somewhere in the middle like Lindi. This song is a great anthem for those folks. Lindi also is strong when it comes to making light of serious situations. “Run Down Neighborhood” is a fun, catchy song about drug abuse and poverty. It has a handclapping rhythm and earworm melody with lyrics that try to at least understand the thinking of the down-on-their-luck types with issues that they embrace rather than fight.

     Lindi Ortega is a triple threat that Nashville is taking notice of. She has the voice, the style, and the stories to turn country music on its head. As she progresses in her career, her albums get better and better. Faded Gloryville shows Lindi at her peak creative output. I simply can’t believe that mainstream radio has such a female problem, because there are so many talented women making great music. Lindi is among the best of those women, and in country music outright. Check out Faded Gloryville and treat your ears to something great!

Standout Tracks: “Faded Gloryville”, “Ashes”, “I Ain’t The Girl”, “Run Down Neighborhood”, “Someday Soon”



 

 

"I Ain't The Girl"

 

 

 

"Ashes"

 

 

 

"Someday Soon"

 

 

 

"Faded Gloryville"

 

 

 

"Tell It Like It Is"