Blogmas 2023: Day Thirty One/Day Seven Of The Twelve Days Of Christmas/New Year's Eve: Deep Dives And Reactions: The Devil I Know by Ashley McBryde (Full Album Reaction).

Blogmas Day Thirty One:

It is the last day of December, the last day of 2023 and by default the final day of Blogmas! We're ending with a bang with a full album reaction of Ashley McBryde's "new" album, The Devil I Know! 

   There are eleven tracks on this album and I've heard six of them so far (those being Whiskey And Country Music which she played live at The Grand Ole Opry a while ago, Made For This which she also played at The Grand Ole Opry on her induction night this time last year [and released as a single in July], Light On In The Kitchen released as a single in the Spring, The Devil I Know, Learned To Lie and Cool Little Bars. Out of those, my favorite is Learned To Lie).

   Out of what I haven't heard, I'm claiming Single At The Same Time.

   Let's get to the main event now.

   Made For This:

Alright, this one I more or less like, but I definitely feel like she's written better songs. 3/10.

   Coldest Beer In Town:

This sounds very similar to Cool Little Bars production-wise. The lyrics are simple, informative and empowering. Her voice is on point and it reminds me exactly why I became enthralled with her when A Little Dive Bar In Dalonega first came out. 3/10.

   Light On In The Kitchen:

This song was thoughtfully and beautifully written and I'm certain I'm not the only girl who's been consoled with the line "boys are dumb" at some point or another. I would've lost it had not for that line (or something similar) when I went through one of my first and worst romantic heartbreaks in middle school. 5/10.

   Women Ain't Whiskey:

Oh my word... This, I have literally no words for this. Power (as much as was laced in Bonfire At Tina's) but wow, this blew me away... 4.5/10.

   Learned To Lie:

As I already said, this is my favorite so far and for so many reasons. The first time a heard it, I was moved to tears. So many go through stuff like this (practically everyone to some extent. You'd be hard up to find anyone who doesn't have some sort of childhood trauma) and it's refreshing to hear a testimony like this. I feel like there are stigmas around people under ten having any emotion that isn't pure bliss and once you're old, you have to unpack all that. The second verse is my favorite because I learned to sing with Carole King and learned to shoot between a Red Ryder and a .22. It's also on my writing playlist because it describes the arc of one of my characters. 20/10.

   The Devil I Know:

Ring the bell! It is Title Track O'clock! I honestly don't like this song. The production is weird and I feel like it could have been executed much, much better.  0/10.

   SinglE At The Same Time:

And here, we've arrived to the song I claimed. Good gracious, I think I picked good. This one reminds me of a book I'm plotting and I couldn't be happier! Yes, I picked good! I picked great even! 20/10.

   Cool Little Bars:

I did a full reaction to this when I first listened to it, which can be found here. My opinion hasn't changed at all, I truly adore this song. My sentimentality relates to it so much and it's still a solid 10/10. 

   Whiskey And Country Music:

As I've already stated, I've heard this before. I agree with her sentiment (which she remarked when she played it at The Opry) of "this song is Country it's gotta drive five miles towards town to go hunting". That could be a good description for her whole discography through...

   Blackout Betty:

This sounds rockier than anything else she's done and it's very strange. Another overuse of a Vocoder. Not really my thing. .5/10.

    6th Of October:

This one is pretty good and in classic closing track fashion, it's the most reflective and somber song on the record. Beautiful. 10/10.

The end:

I was impressed by this album, as I always am with Ashley. Our total is 76 (higher than yesterday's Psychopath review). I have a few more albums I need to listen to before the day's over but if that gets done we'll have to see. My album ranking should be out later today or possibly tomorrow.

   Bye! 😎