Debuted in 2008, this is a long-awaited second full album by Nashville native country singer-songwriter, Kelleigh Bannen. Released a few singles since her first album, but luck didn’t follow even singing nice songs. Like beautifully filling the 11 years from her beginning, “Favorite Colors” contains well-composed songs that can be all singles.

The title says it all. A variety of songs with different colors are evenly placed throughout the album.

Refreshing like the color of the album cover with the first song, “Damn, I Still Love You”, fresh blue with lightweight “Boys Don’t Cry”, cabin brown “Diamonds”, bluegrass green with possible concert anthem “The Joneses” and “Suit”, metallic silver with partially heavy “Haters”, candle-flame red with sighing “Sleeping Alone”, and ending with a star falling navy with the sentimental acoustic ballad “Long Shadow”. And colors are vivid with polished melodies. This organized album structure will succeed to make listeners repeat over and over again. Far from getting bored.

What I find interested is a rusty alternative/industrial music side like Nine Inch Nails with the hot rocking “Deluxe”. This flavor, odd with country music, can also be heard with other songs like “Diamonds” and “Faith in You’, as well as her previous single, “Smoke When I Drink”. Placing aggressive “Deluxe” on the second is a nice idea, making a sharp contrast with the sophisticated first song and resulted in a stronger impact of the album.

Kelleigh’s voice might not be characteristic but clever. Her voice flexibly enhances her voice adding a better color to each song. Kelleigh’s voice isn’t a typical country voice. No country vibrato like orthodox style, neither low nor high, soft and easy listening for a country singer…but her voice is not flat. Two thumbs up to the way her voice blossoms dynamically on verses. Passion and emotion spark on verses to make songs more impressive. A nice expressionist who matches with the album concept.

The simple yet beautiful and fashionable album cover describes both the album and Kelleigh Bannen well. A good example that album cover should display the album’s world…and most importantly, album cover still matters even after the vinyl/CD era.

I felt Kelleigh’s guts for success from this album. If her marketing strategy is right, Kelleigh Bannen might possibility evolve more like Kacey Musgraves and Little Big Town.

RELEASE DATE (US): 10/11/2019

OVERALL POINTS: 86/100

• Songs: ★★★★+1/2
• Originality: ★★★+1/2
• Thrills: ★★★★
• Song orders: ★★★★★★
• Vocal: ★★★★+1/2
• Background: ★★★★
• Production: ★★★★+1/2
• Strong songs: “Damn, I Still Love You”, “Deluxe”, “Your Favorite Colors”, “The Joneses”, “Sleeping Alone”, “Haters”, “Long Shadow”

EXTRA (NOT COUNTED TOWARD THE OVERALL POINTS)

• Title: A
• Album cover: A