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"Sparrow" is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Ashley Monroe, released on April 20, 2018, through Warner Bros. Nashville. The album is produced by Dave Cobb and recorded in the iconic RCA Studio A.
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Since the release of 2015's The Blade, Ashley Monroe lost her father and gave birth to a son—so it's no surprise that family matters, and family as a source of conflicting emotions, loom large over Sparrow. The singer-songwriter's fourth album reckons with tangled genealogies and troubled pasts; throughout, Monroe's characters grieve their losses, count their scars, and try to heal. Working with producer Dave Cobb, Monroe has created a sonic palette to help translate those vivid feelings into expressive, visceral music. While Cobb is best known for the analog austerity he's brought to albums by Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, he and Monroe sought inspiration in the syrupy strings of classic “countrypolitan” on Sparrow.
Monroe is unparalleled at fusing classicist country songwriting with a modern sheen, something she proved on The Blade, which deftly balances traditional country sounds with bubbly pop. With Sparrow, she's topped even that achievement, creating a rich and emotional album that feels deeply connected to the past but also fully engaged with the present.
Reviewed by Josh Hurst for slantmagazine.com.
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