The country genre had a bit of revitalization in 2019, and judging by 2020, this trend seems to be maintaining its momentum. Aubrie Sellers is one of the latest artists of the genre to be gaining critical and commercial attention. With the recent release of her debut studio record, Far From Home, the 29-year old singer-songwriter delivers an album full of insightful and personal songwriting alongside some passionate and electrifying performances. This results in a richly promising and organic listening experience sure to attract new fans and builds upon her potential with heart, humor, and lots of spunk.
As a collection, Far From Home has a diverse sound, ranging from hard rock and blues to old-school acoustic country folk on more than a few instances. Lyrically, Sellers explores many personal stories of her trials and tribulations, all rendered through a sincere and candid perspective that’s utterly refreshing to hear. Far From Home also offers strong evidence of Seller’s understated yet engaging presence as a performer and the vulnerability and warmth she instills in the layers of her material, allowing it to craft a deeper impression and resonance on listeners.
From the opening track “Far From Home,” Sellers creates a musical backdrop that’s atmospheric and intimate, yet still contains a notable sophistication. As a lyricist, Sellers creates narratives and imagery that emphasize the every day with clarity and relatability, sprinkling in a frank sense of humor and wit throughout. The well-rounded nature of Far From Home sees Sellers veer from soulful singer-songwriter terrain to full-on hard rock mode with equal parts artistry and flair.
Tracks such as “Troublemaker” show Sellers embracing her southern rock roots with pure exuberance. Her spunky charm shines through on tracks such as “Lucky Charm” and “One Town’s Trash.” It’s a credit to her lyrical strengths that each track manages to remain engaging while illustrating Sellers’ musical range in the process. Some of the record’s most noteworthy moments arrive when Sellers strips things back and lets her intimate songwriting take the reigns.
Highlight track “Haven’t Even Kissed Me Yet” is an infectious ode to the uncertainties of potential love, and it’s soulful and tender execution makes it one of the album’s most readily captivating moments. The sincere simplicity of Seller’s material works to her advantage on tracks such as “Going Places” with its breezy and folky arrangements and the vintage-style duet with Steve Earle “My Love Will Not Change”. Both of these songs indicate Sellers’ ability to combine her influences into a cohesive whole, and her performances manage to encapsulate her material’s themes in an accessible manner.
What’s ultimately most engaging and rewarding about Far From Home is how gracefully Sellers is able to represent her emotions and experiences with authenticity and genuine soul while crafting a record full of excitement, enthusiasm, and insight. Another noteworthy aspect is how effectively paced and sequenced this record feels, which ensures a seamless transition between songs and allows each track to fully come alive.
Country music as a genre is appearing to maintain its newfound resurgence, and Aubrie Sellers, with her debut record, is certainly furthering that conversation. Overall, Far From Home is a rewarding and immensely promising showcase for Sellers’ deep lyrical and musical talents. Delivering a debut record that offers up convincing evidence of one’s talent can at times be daunting, but when it’s as sincere and compelling as Far From Home, the results can truly be gratifying. If this continues, true success won’t be too far from home for Ms. Sellers at all.
Songs to Spin: “Haven’t Even Kissed Me Yet,” “Lucky Charm,” “Troublemaker,” “Going Places,” “My Love Will Not Change”
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