“You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl”.
As cliché as the old adage may seem, there is a reason it that it has stuck through the ages. Rachel Wearsch is living proof that it is impossible out run the past. And when the past produces something as remarkable as Wearsch’s self-released debut, Life of Love, it becomes a little clearer as to why the world should be thankful for honky tonks and pick-up trucks.
Who She Is
Having studied and performed on piano since before she was in junior high, Wearsch boasts classical training and over two decades of live performing experience. She has opened for many prominent musicians, including Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, also brushing shoulders with more contemporary artists such as Clint Black and Toby Keith. Wearsch, hailing from Small Town, USA,was raised by musically-oriented parents who molded her into the versatile virtuoso that she is today. Returning after decade spent running from her modest roots, Wearsch embraces her southern tendencies and plucking abilities to storm the nation with a release so powerfully heartfelt and honest that it will steal the breath of Country critics from all over.
The Scoop
Life of Love was written, performed, and mastered by Wearsch alone. After experimenting with various musical genres, ranging from bar blues bands to a 1950’s cover group, she has finally come full circle back to the place where she started. Growing up with George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash has allowed Wearsch to mesh the traditional Country/Western background with vibrant bluegrass, a healthy dose of old-fashioned blues and her own classical piano training to launch a uniquely refreshing album that could only be labeled as pure Americana.
Highlights
“Someday” is a delightedly simple tune bursting with fresh mandolin and buoyant tambourine that swears “Someday, you’re gonna be mine”. Wearsch’s vocals breezily lilt along its brazen crescendos and transfer effortlessly into the more melancholy “Just Go On”, which features a slow steel guitar and drawling saxophone that just asks for a bottle of wine and a good cry. The title track, “Life of Love,” while uplifting with its jaunty melodies, offers a more realistic view on little Miss Perfect, who may be “The center of attention when she drinks her wine;” but inevitably she will be “Always searching for the love of her life.” “Heart on the Run” features a wonderful acoustic intro, and then launches into a piano-driven jog about needing some temporary comfort. Purely stripped and sweet, “Stay With Me” is an excellent exhibition of Wearsch’s upper vocal range that brings to mind the early Sunday mornings spent with a cherished one.
Last Thoughts
While no stranger to recording, Rachel Wearsch’s solo attempt earns much-deserved merit for being extremely smooth and seamless; highly unusual for an album recorded in a basement. While it may take several spins to really get under your skin, Life of Love is a sure-fire product that will take a loving spot in the hearts of many devoted Folk, Country, and Bluegrass aficionados.
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