Sony Music Entertainment
Release Date: November 1st 2024
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Megan Moroney– Blue Christmas…duh (Single) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- All I Want For Christmas Is A Cowboy
- Christmas Morning
- Blue Christmas
Ever since 2019 and our ever-on-going yet still-on-hiatus blog series (which we’re still in the middle of, and which we plan to restart very soon!), I’ve been branching out and listening to music that I wouldn’t normally in the past. And I’ve found that ‘mainstream’ music, which was marketed to me as ‘bad’ and ‘evil’, actually isn’t. These people who are singing songs for the mainstream media, are just people, and ordinary people like you and me. And it is country music is the genre (apart from CCM), which I have been most hard-hit by in a good away, and I’ve found that I’ve resonated greatly with artists like Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Thomas Rhett, Shania Twain, Lindsay Ell, Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Runaway June, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, Lady A, Tenille Townes, Tenille Arts, Maddie & Tae, Mickey Guyton, Walker Hayes, Carly Pearce, Lauren Alaina, Gabby Barrett and even Taylor Swift. Even though I’m not American, it is these artists above (and many, many more whom I probably have forgotten!), who have helped place this genre in a special place in my heart. And as we’ve reviewed country albums over the years and seem God move in ways beyond imagination and comprehension with these artists, and as we’ve seen God be praised and given the glory in the marketplace; here we are in 2024 with another ‘new-ish’ artist and her heartfelt, honest, inspiring, vulnerable, and poignant music. Megan Moroney was indirectly recommended to me through a Grady Smith video where he reviewed a song of hers; but prior to before she was signed to Sony Music Entertainment, Megan was virtually an unknown artist. She was, and probably still is, an artist that has flown by underneath the radar. Sure, fans of Megan would know her discography inside and out. But the casual fan like myself (and I’m slowly becoming slightly more than a casual fan!), would have no idea. But in 2023, one of her songs from her debut album Lucky found its way onto a Spotify playlist I was listening to one day. From then on, I eagerly dived deep into Megan’s material, and found that as a country singer, her lyrics are incredibly deep and her passion and zeal for life so admirable. Megan’s songs aren’t as polished as veterans in the industry like Carrie or Miranda or Kelsea or Lainey or Carly, even though Megan is signed to a label now. But the honesty and vulnerability is still here, as we as listeners are met with one of the most heartfelt and strongest debut albums of 2023. We reviewed the album here, as well as a deluxe edition of Lucky. Megan’s second studio album Am I Okay (I’ll Be Fine) is an album we plan to review and voice our opinion on very soon; but for now, Megan has dropped 3 songs just in time for Christmas and the holiday period. Blue Christmas…duh released in November, and before we resume ‘regular’ reviewing in a week or so; let me dive into Megan’s festive offerings, shall we?
“All I Want For Christmas Is A Cowboy” is a fun, quirky, sassy and vulnerable melody, with Megan outlining that she wants Santa to give her a cowboy for Christmas- a guy who only wants her- and this speaks to all of us single people who are struggling with wanting to be loved, accepted, seen and known this Christmas and the general holiday period. We want to connect on a soul level, and as humans we’re insanely jealous of our friends or girl/boyfriends spending time with other people that aren’t us. we have insecurity complexes and we don’t really know what we’re doing half the time; and Megan plays on these concepts a lot in this revealing original melody. “Christmas Morning”, as a consequence, isn’t about the feeling of Christmas morning and about the magical nature of the season. But rather, it’s about the feeling of dread when a relationship has run its course and what you’re feeling for the other person isn’t what you felt for them the previous Christmas morning when you were still in love. The final track on the EP is Elvis’s “Blue Christmas”, and as this EP is for those feeling a tad lonely during the holidays, this rendition is fitting, and Megan brilliantly shines vocally on this track.
Even though this EP is Christmas themed, it’s still has an undertone of songs about breakups and being in a relationship and then falling out of love. I’m a single white male, so Megan Moroney’s music shouldn’t resonate with me that much. But it does! Who would’ve thought? But anyway, Megan’s vocals are crazily awesome, and you all need to listen to Lucky (as well as Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine)- to hear one of the strongest country debuts recently (along with albums from Alana Springsteen, Ashley Cooke and yet-to-be-reviewed albums from Kylie Morgan, Alexandra Kay and Emily Ann Roberts!) since Anne Wilson’s My Jesus. Similar in style to Carly Pearce, Miranda Lambert, and Lainey Wilson; Megan’s lyrics in her songs reminds us that it’s ok to try new things and take risks sometimes- because when you do fail at things when you are young (or at any age, actually!), you can then get back up and start again. Megan, like her aforementioned contemporaries, has a brilliant career ahead of her, and I can’t wait to hear what is next. Her Christmas EP enhances her reputation as well as a country singer/songwriter. Well done, Megan, you deserve all the praise and then some more!
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Carly Pearce, Lainey Wilson, Maddie & Tae, Kelsea Ballerini, RaeLynn, Hailey Whitters, Tenille Arts