I always get a bit annoyed by people that pick up a novel and read the final pages first to see how a story ends. But, hell, let’s break some rules!
The last song on this album is astonishing. Anyone that’s brought up children will take their own meaning from this song, although everyone will be touched by it. From my own journey, a father of two wonderful children in their late teens, this song touches that nervousnessabout letting go. A song of deep nostalgia, of deep love. A fear of letting go, the moment when it’s actually time to let go, but also the beauty of enduring love and letting life move forward. Following the enormous run that Melissa’s song ‘I Know You’ had on my radio show (and before that, our rekindled love for ‘Shriners Park’), Melissa has hit jackpot once again with an opus song of such staggering depth and beauty; a song that touches the soul – and deeply so. The control is immaculate, the emotion is strong and the heartfelt resonance isbeautiful. The days seem to be long gone when radio actually champions great songs on their merit, it’s all about chasing the clicks, likes and shares nowadays. ‘More Love’ probably won’t get that much airplay in the UK, but it’s hands down the best song I’ve heard this year. The great songs don’t need spin or hype or influencers, they come and grab you on their own– and, whilst known for her rocking classics, Melissa always seems to have that natural knack to hit you between the eyes with something remarkably special. Her new album ‘Rise’ arrived in the post on Friday. I put it on in the studio yesterday, and listened to it whilst catching up on some admin. And when the album closer ‘More Love’ came on everything just stopped. I think I played it seven times on repeat. A real moment, so that’s why I start this review by seeing how the story ends.
Back to the album at large now – and hands up, I haven’t read any of the blurb or reviews. I simply put the album on and let the music speak to me – and be open to how it made me feel. If I’ve overlooked or misread anything about these new songs, I apologise. But, as with so many music fans, it’s exciting to listen to a new album as a completely new discovery and, as so often happens, music can do and mean different things to each of us. And therein lies the beauty of this thing we call music that we love so much.
‘Rise’ is yet another fine album offering from Melissa Etheridge, an artist whose catalogue is so consistently good. She always seems to come back when the time is right, when there is something new to say. Nothing ever seems forced – there’s always a point to what she does and it always feels natural, positive and inclusive.
I’m not going to do a track-by-track for this review and, to be honest, I’ve only listened to the album three or four times. But more important than a track-by-track, this album for me is about the overall feeling I got from the new body of work. On my first listen, I had a sense of a journey. It starts with youth and hope, and I felt the sense of a life’s journey growing through the album – from hopes, to relationships to confidence of identity that comes with age. And then, with the album closer, there’ a sense of thinking of one’s children.
I felt growth through this album, I felt healing and I felt truth. The music itself is a tonic for the soul and an enlivener for the heart.
I felt nostalgia too on this album – but in a warm, accepting way.
Musically, this album has the vibe of Melissa on stage with her band. From the last two or three of Melissa’s UK shows I’ve been to, there’s always been a special energy and signature to the sound and the way the songs are presented – their live character if you like. I feel this studio album comes the closest to that ‘Melissa live’ vibe, there’s so many tracks that could seamlessly be welcomed into her set-list. Maybe it’s because her new studio music feels so alive.
I also really like the Country flavours on the album, mixed in with the rockers. But as we’ve all come to know with Melissa, her talents span genres – she’s not limited by them. Most important, she is a supremely talented songwriter. Her ability to mix the creative paints and conjure up the moods that frame her stories is exquisitely done – but also in a very natural way.
Melissa is currently short-listed for the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. I can’t think of any artist who is more overdue this kind of recognition. She rocks, she’s great live but, boy, it’s the song-writing that is so special. She doesn’t sound like anyone else, she is her own musical oeuvre which defies genre silos or labels. And in a world where so many artists sound like someone else or are churning out past glories, Melissa keeps moving forward with new original music. No hype, no fuss – just talented playing and a deep audience bond, all built on the bedrock of outstanding song-writing. If you want to give her a Hall of Fame vote before 3 April, by the way, you can do it here https://vote.rockhall.com/
Melissa became a big part of my radio show, and over a number of years, the listeners kept her on the playlist almost every week. ‘I Know You’ was the listeners’ request that closed almost every Friday show during the pandemic, the song somehow connected everyone at a time when people couldn’t leave their homes and hug one another. And after that, she headlined our Wellbeing Festival, a lockdown event presenting 107 bands to an international audience that unexpectedly proved to be the show’s defining moment during its 10-year run. Beyond that, I’ve been lucky enough to interview with Melissa a number of times and listeners always seemed to find these chats helped to guide their own exploration through Melissa’s album catalogue. And she even checked in with the listener social media chat during the radio show a few times. In an age where few bands even do their own social media, those little touches of magic from Melissa herself said a lot about an artist that wants to stay directly connected with her fans, wherever they are. For all the Great Music Stories’listeners out there, that started journeys of discovery with Melissa’s music, you can take my word for it, this album will delight you all.
I’m not going to say anymore for now. My domestic caring responsibilities at the moment limit my free time. A big thank you from a voice in the crowd to Melissa for brightening my weekend. With so much formulaic rock n roll being released, it’s so inspiring and awakening to listen to an album that isn’t trying to impress or isn’t trying to be too clever; this album doesn’t need any of that, it has its own essence, its own truth – it just is. It captures beauty, it energises, it inspires you to rise, to grow and to live.
And that’s a good note on which to end. I’ve talked in detail about just one song in this review, but there are many other great tracks to discover – whether it’s the life force of ‘Bein’ Alive’, the medicinal heart of ‘Rise’, the cool breeze of the Country duet ‘The Other Side of Blue’ (featuring Chris Stapleton), or the soulfully reflective ‘To Be A Women’. If you want to find out more, buy a copy of the album ‘Rise’ and enjoy your own journey of discovery. Keep buying music people, support artists by actually buying their music – and, in doing so, do your bit to invest in the future of recorded music. In the AI era, we all need to treasure the creation, the heart and the artistry that makes us human – and to celebrate the great music that unites us and reminds us what we all have in common in a fractured and polarised world. With Melissa’s fine new album, it’s time to cast aside the doubt: It is time to rise.
Get yourself a copy of the album at https://melissaetheridge.com
Listen again: Great Music Stories’ feature interviews over time, with Melissa Etheridge:
