Lauren Anderson — Burn It All Down
Self-Release — 2022
12 tracks; 42 minutes
Lauren Anderson’s third full-length studio album, Burn It All Down, continues her journey of powerful, yet intimate, storytelling, along with highlighting Anderson’s sensationally soulful singing style.
Burn It All Down features several of Anderson’s bandmates from her previous albums: Will Elliot on trombone, Johnathan Smith on organ, drummer Matt Doctor, guitarist Dan Wecht, and Hutch on bass guitar. In addition, Jon and Liz Estes, experienced session musicians out of Nashville, lend their musical talents on saxophone and flute, respectively.
Taylor Lonardo, a Memphian now based in Nashville, engineered and mastered the new album, which includes appearances by veteran guitarist Albert Castiglia (on “Zombie Blues”) and the multi-talented Nashville-based musician, John Salaway, who shows off his guitar flair and shares songwriting credits on “Hit the Spot.”
Originally from Chicago, Anderson began (in 2012) gigging around the Kansas City area, where she worked as a music therapist in a pediatric setting. After cutting her first full-length cd (Truly Me) in 2015, Anderson started working as a full-time musician and eventually moved to Nashville in early 2017. She released her second album, Love on the Rocks, in the summer of 2021to immediate acclaim. The album debuted at #14 on the Billboard Blues Chart.
That soulful singing style combined with the hard-edged feistiness of a blues rocker, clearly places the spotlight on Lauren Anderson as a gifted musician, singer, and songwriter.
Where Burn It All Down shines is when Anderson takes a few risks and “changes up” her style and musicianship. “Lose My Head” has a country vibe mixed with a boogie-woogie piano-style and a foot stomping beat. As Anderson sings “lose my head…” in the refrain, you can imagine hearing a Nashville-club crowd singing along with her. “Never Too Late” with its hypnotic, almost Calypso-like, melody is also a great change of pace. Will Elliot’s trombone, with the Estes’ backing on sax and flute, provide finger-snapping fun on a musical message of hope and determination.
The title track, “Burn It All Down,” begins Anderson’s blues-rock party with terrific keyboards from Jonathan Smith. “Zombie Blues” has an intense rockabilly beat, featuring Castiglia’s thrashing slashing guitar licks—appropriate descriptors for a “zombie” song. The gritty hard-edged tone of “Hit The Spot” showcases Anderson’s tremendous vocal range. With John Salaway on guitar, the song’s powerful refrain and pounding backbeat make it one of the best tracks on the album.
Both “Still Here” and “Rain Down On Me” slow down the party and give Anderson the opportunity to bring a little country and a little soul to her vocal style. “Rain Down…” captures that soulful intensity and “Still Here” reinforces Anderson’s storytelling bonafides.
The album ends with “Like A Woman,” reminding us that Lauren Anderson is truly a blues rocker with enough versatility and hard-edged feistiness to make the listener stand up and take note.
