The phenomenon that is the “supergroup” is always a hit-or-miss one. Often times, they come across as gimmicky. Other times, the grand summation never eclipses each individual member. The Highwomen fall into neither of those buckets and what’s even better is they shatter all expectations of what a “supergroup” can be. Considering The Highwomen consists of world-class talents Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby, this should go without saying.
The country music scene hasn’t exactly treated its female artists as fairly as its male ones. It should also be noted that the music industry, in general, is overtly ageist. Bearing in mind that three of these four women are over the age of 35, you start to get a sense of where this star-studded quartet came from. And it would have been very easy for The Highwomen to exist as a giant middle finger to the patriarchy, but in a recent interview with CMT, Hemby was quick to ensure that they were not out to do the “‘men suck!’ kind of thing.” And thank goodness they didn’t; their mission statement is so much more powerful as a result.
These twelve songs are women’s stories first and foremost. Sure, a man might be referenced here and there, but the record serves as a pedestal to the trials and tribulations of womanhood. Whether it be needing a break from being “Mama,” ruminating on mortality or simply painting a picture of a world where everyone has room at the proverbial table, the tales weaved here are transcendent and told with conviction. Simply put, anyone can find something to relate to here – even super manly, buff dudes like me… The absolute best part about The Highwomen is that there is no ego – all four voices consistently complement one another and have equal chance to shine. Somehow, they make it sound perfectly natural.
I’m ashamed to admit that ‘country’ used to be a dirty word to me. I’ve learned my lesson in recent years that there’s more to the genre than just trucks, beers and piping hot fried chicken. But even if you haven’t, The Highwomen is truly a record for people who love music – of all kinds. And make no mistake about it: it’s hands down one of the best records of the year.
Haiku Review
The four Highwomen
Are redesigning women
And kicking some ass
Listen to The Highwomen on Spotify and Apple Music.
