Carly Pearce’s debut album, ‘Every Little Thing, ’ is certainly not something you would expect from a newcomer. This album is full of amazing songs that have maturity, talent, and patience behind them. Pearce comes to the scene with a strong debut album that makes her seem like it is at least her third studio album. Each song has a story behind it and eight of the tracks have been co-handcrafted by Pearce herself. Produced by busbee, this album was formed in the hands of great artists and executed by an up-and-coming star.
1.) ‘Hide The Wine’ – Written by Ashley Gorley, Luke Laird, and Hillary Lindsey.
Impression: To open up her debut album, Pearce sets the tone with this catchy song about being tempted by an old flame. Wine is the enticement of choice, because if she has it, then she knows things will lead to something more with someone she is hesitant about returning to.
Favorite Lyrics: Oh no, no, it’s a dangerous thing pouring alcohol on an old flame. Hide the wine and get it gone…
2.) ‘Careless’ – Written by Carly Pearce and Emily Shackelton.
Impression: Upbeat, country twang guitars, a solid drum beat, and Pearce’s unique voice makes for a great country song! This track stands for finally getting over the person who has hurt you. Despite their empty promises, ungratefulness, and lack of carefulness with your heart, you can finally say you can “care less” when they say they’ve changed or turn down ‘the look on your face when you say you want me, you miss me tonight.‘
Favorite Lyrics: And baby you were reckless with my love, I gave you all I got, and you just gave it up…
3.) ‘Every Little Thing’ – Written by Carly Pearce, busbee, and Emily Shackelton.
Impression: Her debut single, ‘Every Little Thing,’ has taken off into something Pearce had never imagined. After receiving airplay on Sirius XM‘s The Highway channel, the song was sent to country music radio in February 2017 and is now sitting at No. 3 on the Mediabase Country Airplay chart. The song was originally wrote after a heartbreak she was suffering from. However, Pearce never expected it to turn into her debut single. With haunting realties, Carly nails it in what is essentially the perfect break up song.
Favorite Lyrics: Baby, your ghost still haunts me, but I don’t want to sleep with him no more…
4.) ‘Everybody Gonna Talk’ – Written by Carly Pearce, busbee, and Emily Weisband.
Impression: Rocker tones and no holds barred lyrics, this song paints the picture of two people being together but wanting to keep it on the down-low. However, they don’t see the point, because people are going to talk anyways.
Favorite Lyrics: Kiss me underneath the streetlight glow. Make sure they got a good view through them windows and watch the word get around…
5.) ‘Catch Fire’ – Written by busbee and Natalie Hemby.
Impression: In this sassy track, Pearce’s voice matches the theme perfectly. It’s simple: girl sees guy and she’s interested. Guy sees girl and he is also interested. She is basically telling the guy to skip the formalities and that if he ‘has the strike’ then she ‘has the match.’ Pearce is instigating for the guy to make the first move.
Favorite Lyrics: Yeah, the way you’re waiting on me to want you is like waiting for a flame to catch fire…
6.) ‘If My Name Was Whiskey’ – Written by Carly Pearce, busbee, and Shane McAnally.
Impression: Song six is rich with metaphor and underlying meanings. The title speaks for itself, ‘If My Name Was Whiskey’ is Pearce wishing the one she loves would love her just as much as he loves whiskey. He searches all night for it, it’s the first thing on his mind, and he would never let it go. However, if you replace Pearce with the whiskey, it makes for a good relationship of love and yearning.
Favorite Lyrics: You’d press me to your lips, say you never felt like this and I’d be all you’d need, and you’d get drunk on me…
7.) ‘Color’ – Written by Carly Pearce, busbee and Laura Veltz.
Impression: ‘Color’ is a cute song about loved ones needing each other. The guy is considered the lines; he’s the steady and the rock. While she is the crazy, the rush, and the color. With one another, they have guidance and light, like the lines of a coloring book guiding its new found color. Together, they mesh together perfectly, like coloring inside the lines.
Favorite Lyrics: You tried to tell me we belonged together, I was like “no.” I admit it, I’m a wild child looking for a hand to hold…
8.) ‘I Need a Ride Home’ – Written by Ashley Gorley, Matt Jenkins, and Hillary Lindsey.
Impression: ‘I Need a Ride Home’ is a nostalgic track of missing the place you were most at home. It’s about Mom and Dad sitting on the porch, the place that makes you still feel like you’re young, fields full of nothing, and everything you remember it to be. Sometimes you just need to go back to remind yourself where you came from and who you are amongst it all.
Favorite Lyrics: I need a quick trip, oh, back to that table in the kitchen. I wanna see that little creak rushing right next to those fields full of nothing…
9.) ‘Doin’ It Right’ – Written by Carly Pearce, Oscar Charles, and Allison Veltz.
Impression: Pearce’s voice is undeniable in this song. It sounds pure and defiant with a touch of tasteful attitude. ‘Doin’ It Right’ is about a guy doing everything in his power to make a girl not want him – which is the only thing he does right.
Favorite Lyrics: You dream love like it’s some shitty little motel. You check in and you check out like hell…
10.) ‘Feel Somethin’’ – Written by busbee, Natalie Hemby, and Shane McAnally.
Impression: With a feel good beat and catchy melody, song ten is portrayed much lighter than what the lyrics are saying. In what can be presumed to be a relationship gone monotone, Pearce wants to feel something. ‘Make me laugh, make me cry, make me wish we’d never met,’ she says, as long as she’s feeling something different than she is now.
Favorite Lyrics: You’re the vodka I drink every night but I don’t ever get drunk. You’re the knife turning in my heart but I’m way too numb. When did you stop trying? When did I become so comatose?
11.) ‘You Know Where to Find Me’ – Written by Carly Pearce, busbee, and Emily Shackelton.
Impression: Serenity is found in places that makes us come alive. When you feel weak, down, or not yourself, this place is your hide away. If anyone needs to find you, then they know where to find you. The “you” in this song in the line ‘you know how to bring me back…’ can be assumed to be the personification of the place she runs away to – which is a nice little play on words.
Favorite Lyrics: When I’m feeling lost, when I’m feeling weak, you know how to bring me back to what I really need. That little bit of wild that no one ever sees.
12.) ‘Honeysuckle’ – Written by busbee, Barry Dean, and Hillary Lindsey.
Impression: Another reminiscent song takes place at number twelve. Honeysuckle is the smell that brings her back to her high school love, in a blue mustang on dirt roads in summer heat. Memories can disappear fast, and burn up easily like paper, however, the smell of honeysuckle always reminds her of the way he made her feel. This song is definitely one to be stuck in your head!
Favorite Lyrics: Yeah but you were made of first times, the good kind with the goodbye that still won’t let me go.
13.) ‘Dare Ya’ – Written by Carly Pearce, Joe Ginsberg, and Allison Veltz.
Impression: In the final song of her debut album, Pearce adds a sensual and passionate song to close it out. It’s a song about desire and wanting, with the girl tempting the guy to make the first move. Although she is craving him to ‘mess up her lipstick,’ she will wait for him and then follow suit. Slow riffs and twangy guitars fill this track to help set the tone.
Favorite Lyrics: I’ll follow you boy, and I ain’t going to lead, I’m a lady like that. So I’m going to keep looking at you like I-I-I dare ya…
Get Carly Pearce’s new album on iTunes here.