Girl
by Maren Morris
  • Record Label: SME
  • Release Date: Mar 8, 2019
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 45 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 45
  3. Negative: 4 out of 45
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  1. HerickDiener
    Mar 12, 2020
    7
    E um ano depois de lançado eu continuo aqui ouvindo as músicas ainda como novas e descobrindo outros tesouros desse álbum. Pode causar estranheza para quem amou o anterior, "Hero", mas a Maren com ótimas letras e interpretações continua lá, não se espante com a camada de mais instrumentos por cima.
  2. RodrigoMOD
    Mar 9, 2019
    10
    Dei 10 só para balancear a nota, várias pessoas revoltadas só porque não é um álbum inteiramente country, O disco tem country, r&b, dance e pop muito misturados, o problema nem foi essa mistura, mas sim a decepção se compararmos com o potencial da Mare.
  3. UglyLights
    Mar 8, 2019
    1
    As a country fan, it is wildly disappointing to see this marketed as a country record, when songs on this record span just about every genre except country.

    Her debut 'Hero' was boundary pushing pop-country that sat perfectly on the line between pop and country, and this sophomore album was highly anticipated with many curious to see which direction she would go, and whether she could    As a country fan, it is wildly disappointing to see this marketed as a country record, when songs on this record span just about every genre except country.

    Her debut 'Hero' was boundary pushing pop-country that sat perfectly on the line between pop and country, and this sophomore album was highly anticipated with many curious to see which direction she would go, and whether she could recreate the same magic that won hearts with 'Hero'. Unfortunately for country fans, instead of finding that balance again, Maren has crossed the line into pop territory completely with 'GIRL'.

    I see this record being very polarizing - diehard fans of Maren will enjoy this record regardless of the genre it falls into, despite it not even being particularly great pop music. However, for fans of the country genre and its unique qualities and traditions, this record is a miss.

    Sadly due to "stan" culture these days we'll see Maren get a free pass for marketing a blatantly pop record as country, and the country radio airwaves will continue to be clogged with pop music as others follow her lead, while hard-working artists making real country music will continue struggling to be heard.

    2/10 because I enjoyed the collaboration with Brandi Carlile    … Expand
  4. backroad
    Mar 8, 2019
    5
    Maren is immensely talented, there is no question, but compared to HERO this was a disappointment. Even more disappointing is labeling this a country record. Call it like it is. It's pop. Which is fine, just own it. If you look at it as a pop record, it's probably fine, but I expected better songwriting and less **** production. For the most part it seems forgettable.
  5. Country216
    Mar 8, 2019
    0
    Disappointing. A mediocre, over-produced pop record that has drunkenly stumbled into the 'country' category on iTunes. Someone hail this record a cab outta here.
  6. GirlCrush
    Mar 8, 2019
    2
    I'll echo the sentiments of others here. It's very concerning that this is being advertised as a country album when it is anything but that. Some songs are fairly decent pop songs, but overall the production and weak lyrics make this an average at best release from Maren, who has the vocal chops and talent to do much better.

    For an artist whose personal branding is built around calling    I'll echo the sentiments of others here. It's very concerning that this is being advertised as a country album when it is anything but that. Some songs are fairly decent pop songs, but overall the production and weak lyrics make this an average at best release from Maren, who has the vocal chops and talent to do much better.

    For an artist whose personal branding is built around calling it like it is, and owning who you are, it's confusing to me that she wouldn't take that same approach when it comes to marketing her music. There's a disconnect there, and it does no favors for her authenticity as an artist.    … Expand
  7. MusicSpy
    Apr 2, 2019
    4
    Morris potential is FAR from what this album showed. Bad and forced lyrics, a “solid” but non-special production and incohesive lyrics made the whole album boring and even a little bit inovative. Morris tried to put modern-country and rock vibes that didn’t worked, and i can say that “The Bones” and “Girl” were the less worst tracks on the album. (4/10)
  8. AlexMcLoughlin
    Apr 20, 2020
    6
    As a follow-up record to her 2016 album, 'HERO' this album seems... bland. While Maren excels in vocals and delivery, the production and overall consistency leave room for improvement. The generic songwriting and mediocre hooks also seem half-baked. Maren's style of country-pop leans way more into the pop side of music this time around, with some R&B elements thrown around the mix, whichAs a follow-up record to her 2016 album, 'HERO' this album seems... bland. While Maren excels in vocals and delivery, the production and overall consistency leave room for improvement. The generic songwriting and mediocre hooks also seem half-baked. Maren's style of country-pop leans way more into the pop side of music this time around, with some R&B elements thrown around the mix, which although I found strange, gave it an interesting flare. The majority of the song titles seemed promising, including the fifth track, 'Common' which features fellow country singer, Brandi Carlile. However, upon listening to each track, I found myself losing interest and focus halfway.

    Of course, it isn't all doom and gloom. Some of the highlights of this record were track three, 'All My Favorite People' featuring the country duo, Brothers Osborne, and gave us a high-energy country-rock sound with heavy guitars and feel-good vibes. Track four, 'A Song for Everything' which has a nostalgic feel to it both lyrically and sonically. Track thirteen, 'Good Woman' has a 1970s Dolly Parton-Esque vibe which I found refreshing and an enjoyable listen. It would also be a shame to not mention the opening track, 'GIRL' which serves as the title track, as well as the lead single off of this record. It is an empowering song which I find myself listening to here and there.

    All in all, this record has good bones but misses the mark slightly. While it was a somewhat enjoyable listen, it quite quickly became a forgettable one. As of this, my rating of 6/10 seems fitting and I am anticipating a major step-up for Maren's third album    … Expand
  9. Ollie_bob_
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    I really is an amazing album and a good follow up to Hero the blend of country pop is done so well, for example great ones a stand out track for me.
  10. kingphish
    Mar 12, 2019
    8
    While comparisons are obviously going to be made to Maren's first album Hero, I find this album to be better, more refined sound and production. If you embrace Maren's pop-country styling, there is a lot to like here. Several tracks like The Feels, Common, and Gold Love lean toward adult contemporary. Tracks like RSVP & The Bones have a R&B flavor, while GIRL and All My Favorite PeopleWhile comparisons are obviously going to be made to Maren's first album Hero, I find this album to be better, more refined sound and production. If you embrace Maren's pop-country styling, there is a lot to like here. Several tracks like The Feels, Common, and Gold Love lean toward adult contemporary. Tracks like RSVP & The Bones have a R&B flavor, while GIRL and All My Favorite People lean towards a more guitar heavy/pop-rock sound. While there may be a lack of a defining theme running throughout, the album as a whole is very good. There is a little something for everyone, and while first listen may tend to throw listeners off while trying to it compare to Hero, after a second or third listen, many of the tracks start to shine.… Expand
  11. Violins94
    Mar 9, 2019
    4
    This record is a little bit all over the place in terms of musical styling. There's a bit of r&b, dance pop, southern rock, piano ballads.. not so much country, however. If I were critiquing this as a country record, per it's categorization, I'd give it one star because she used steel guitar in To Hell and Back. That's about all the country you'll find on this record. But let's look atThis record is a little bit all over the place in terms of musical styling. There's a bit of r&b, dance pop, southern rock, piano ballads.. not so much country, however. If I were critiquing this as a country record, per it's categorization, I'd give it one star because she used steel guitar in To Hell and Back. That's about all the country you'll find on this record. But let's look at this as a pop record:

    - GIRL - the debut single lowered my expectations for this record. It's not a bad song, but the constant switching of perspective throughout the song make it a jarring listen. The production could also be dialled down slightly to make this better. - 5/10

    - The Feels - sounds like it was written to be the background music a 12 year old's sleepover party. The bridge feels like unnecessary filler. - 3/10

    - All My Favorite People - I rate this fairly high on the list of top songs on the record. This is a southern rock jam with some amazing guitar riffs. - 6.5/10

    - A Song For Everything - This song sounds exactly like another song I've heard before, but can't put my finger on it. It's a pleasant listen regardless and I enjoy the message of the song - if music plays an important role in all aspects of your life, you'll enjoy this. - 7/10

    - Common - This is possibly the strongest song on the record. Loved it as a pre-release and I think their voices sound great together. Hope to see more collaborations between them in future - 8.5/10

    - Flavor - I couldn't make it through the whole song. I appreciate the sentiment, but it feels like a 'Hero' reject. 2.5/10

    - Make Out With Me - this seems to be a critic favorite but I couldn't get into it. The production bothers me & the voice over at the start of the track almost made it an automatic skip. 4/10

    - Gold Love - Enjoyed the verses, disliked the chorus, hated the bridge. This was a pleasant r&b/pop blend until the bridge kicked in. 4/10

    - Great Ones - One of the better tracks on the record and a decently written love song. I enjoyed the guitar riffs & production on this one too. - 6.5/10

    - RSVP - Possibly the worst song on the record. The production is what makes this painful to listen to, but the lyrics don't help. This is a skip. - 2/10

    - To Hell & Back - This starts off with steel guitar & piano and had me instantly intrigued. It's an easy listening, country-influenced pop song. I appreciate the dialled down production on this one because it lets the story drive the song - this is what makes this song the most country song on the record. - 7/10

    - The Bones - I enjoyed this as a pre-release and I can see this one growing on me. This is r&b influenced pop. Possibly one of her best vocal moments on the record. - 6.5/10

    - Good Woman - I thought this song had potential to be a strong power ballad, but it just didn't really go anywhere vocally. 5/10

    - Shade - better writing on this track, however it does become cheesy in the chorus. Again the production is distracting from the lyrics. 4.5/10

    I think some of these songs may fare well as mainstream radio crossovers, but there's not much that has a place on country radio where it is being pushed. I don't feel like the overall writing on this is very strong, but the production is awfully distracting and a little overdone across the board and takes our attention away from the lyrics. I think The Guardian critic review hit the nail on the head.

    Overall album rating = 4/10    … Expand
  12. RosalynBurgess
    Jul 26, 2019
    5
    Much like most of Nashville's exports, this album is a combination of autobiographical and biographic; showing the world that Nashville is still the best when it comes to storytelling. I am not a music expert, but while most of the tracks can stand by themselves, I do feel like the album as a whole, is a mess. While Morris' songwriting and vocals seem to have grown, I was left a littleMuch like most of Nashville's exports, this album is a combination of autobiographical and biographic; showing the world that Nashville is still the best when it comes to storytelling. I am not a music expert, but while most of the tracks can stand by themselves, I do feel like the album as a whole, is a mess. While Morris' songwriting and vocals seem to have grown, I was left a little cold by the album. I would say that this album would appeal to many various types of people, due to the strong country, rock and pop elements. I believe it tried it's best to merge the genres, but some songs fell short.

    While tunes like 'All My Favorite People' and 'A Song For Everything' seem to have linked two genres well and show off strong storytelling elements. The first is a country, rock style track with the 'Brothers Osborn,' and it is a standard song about drinking and wasting your money. The latter is similar to 'My Church.' It tells the story of how much music can mean. The song contains one of my favourite lyrics on the whole album.

    "What's your time machine

    Is it Springsteen or 'Teenage Dream'?"

    However, there are plenty of songs on this album, that I would happily skip. Songs like 'Flavor,' attempted to merge a rock element with some synth-pop. The final product of it seems to leave me disappointed. My favourite thing about music are the emotions songs can bring out, I had no connection to this song.

    While some like 'Common', which features Brandi Carlile receives much critical claim, I believe that Maren Morris is overshadowed. So while the lyrics are profound and meaningful, Morris and Carlile don't sound right together on this track.


    As second albums go, I would compare this to Kacey Musgraves; who left me deeply unsatisfied with 'Pageant Materiel'. There are about three songs I still listen to on that album. With Maren Morris' second album I can see 'Girl', 'A Song For Everything' 'RSVP' 'Make Out With Me' and 'The Bones' still being songs I play in the next few years. There are just too many forgettable songs on here, which imply that the switch to pop is not as easy as it seems. I always compare second albums to 'Fearless' By Taylor Swift. It is a successful second album and manages to unite the two genres. I believe Maren Morris has a long way to go in trying to master the two styles. Songs like 'Girl' on this album exhibition that she is capable of doing such things. I suppose she needs to be more cutthroat when choosing songs to appear on the album. The record is a little disorderly. It does follow into the pattern that tends to occur when the first album is influential. Maren shows off her rich and beautiful vocals, as well as a natural ability for songwriting. So, while this album frustrates me, her storytelling is excellent. She showcases her talent in the lyrics of ' Make Out With Me' and 'Shade' and are some of the most potent songs on the album.

    It is a tricky one because music is so personal, and this is a satisfactory album. Morris' debut album was just so much more powerful, and that left me with high expectations when it came to the follow-up.    … Expand
  13. Jorge_e
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    Álbum versátil com vocais dignos de uma artista versátil. Maren não perdeu o Grammy, o Grammy a perdeu. Kisses
  14. Ines17
    Sep 12, 2020
    10
    This girl make the music powerful and lyrically is so good, her debut win a grammy and “Girl” deserves too
  15. natpaige
    Aug 28, 2020
    8
    Such a fun second album. I would say it is on par with her first album, HERO. This shows a lot of growth from the first one but also kept a lot of the country-rock sound that I really love in the first album. Good Woman is a really great song that reminds me a lot of John Mayer. Fun songs like Flavor and The Feels are very catchy. Common is a great empowering song. Over this album is aSuch a fun second album. I would say it is on par with her first album, HERO. This shows a lot of growth from the first one but also kept a lot of the country-rock sound that I really love in the first album. Good Woman is a really great song that reminds me a lot of John Mayer. Fun songs like Flavor and The Feels are very catchy. Common is a great empowering song. Over this album is a cool addition to Maren's catalog.… Expand
  16. sternpaddler
    Apr 12, 2021
    10
    Critics be damned. Ms. Morris is my new superhero! She's a unique talent. Creative melodies, personalized phrasing, thoughtful lyrics, and downright sassy. She has earned the recognition she has been receiving. I can't wait to hear what she puts out in the future.
  17. mystified
    Jul 13, 2021
    9
    It's country-pop. Reading whatever the critics are saying about the genre of the album is making me laugh pretty hard. It's a great record, worth listening, even the filler songs are very well written. Even if you're not into it, you will love at least a few amazing songs like to hell & back or good woman. A great body of work, not as strong as her debut, but she's taking over her soundIt's country-pop. Reading whatever the critics are saying about the genre of the album is making me laugh pretty hard. It's a great record, worth listening, even the filler songs are very well written. Even if you're not into it, you will love at least a few amazing songs like to hell & back or good woman. A great body of work, not as strong as her debut, but she's taking over her sound and she might be the next country singer transitioning to pop, maybe that's why she sounds pop-ish? Not that hard to understand.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

70
#70 Most Discussed Album of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. The New York Times
    Mar 12, 2019
    50
    The best songs on “Hero” were disarmingly detailed, and sometimes funny. “Girl,” however, tips away from those strengths in favor of self-help bromides broad enough to exclude no one.
    Read full review
  2. Pitchfork
    Mar 11, 2019
    63
    Taken as a whole, it’s hard to imagine the audience who enjoys every corner of this album. It’s even harder to imagine the artist Morris really wants to be.
    Read full review
  3. Variety
    Mar 8, 2019
    88
    Girl is every bit as much a country album as her 2016 debut, “Hero.”
    Read full review
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