On The Ranch
On The Ranch gives Emily Nenni's country songs a lively, unforced setting. Her voice has a clear twang and a slightly rough edge, while the band keeps the rhythm moving around her. The album has plenty of affection for older honky-tonk music, but it works best as an enjoyable collection of songs rather than a lesson in how country used to sound.
Can Chaser makes a strong opening. Its quick movement suits a story about a woman competing in barrel racing, and the performance has enough energy to make the subject feel immediate. Nenni does not have to push her voice hard to get the point across. The ease of her singing is part of the attraction.
In The Mornin' brings another kind of independence into the writing. The song deals plainly with a short-lived connection, keeping the tone light rather than building towards a painful declaration. Gates Of Hell is more direct about the damage inside a relationship, while Leavin' makes its decision without much uncertainty. These changes in attitude give the album a little more character than its relaxed surface first suggests.
The Rooster And The Hen uses an animal story to approach the difficulties of love. It is one of the moments where Nenni's writing adds something distinctive to the familiar country setting. The humour and feeling work together, allowing the song to make its point without turning the idea into a heavy explanation.
Does Your Mother Know brings an ABBA song into the same musical world. Changes between a brisker pace and a slower dance rhythm give the cover its own shape. It sits naturally beside the originals, adding another variation without making the album feel pulled away from its main sound.
Get On With It closes with a bluesier character and a simple sense of encouragement. The guitar movement gives the performance a little extra drive, ending the record on an appropriately positive note.
Some of the writing is less memorable than the style and musicianship around it. On The Ranch does not always reach for a deeper emotional response, and its comfortable sound can do more work than the individual ideas. Still, Nenni's personality, playful delivery and well-balanced band make this an inviting record with more than enough charm to reward the visit.
