Artist: CMAT
Album: Euro-Country
Label: CMATBABY
Link: https://cmatbaby.com/
Style: Pop, Country
Taking simply her initials as her stage name, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson imagined herself pursuing a career as a professional musician from a very young age. With this in mind, she left her native Ireland to settle in Manchester with the band she was part of at the time. Following a songwriting workshop, she met singer Charli XCX, who encouraged her to change her musical style. Happily following her advice, she returned to Ireland and released tracks online before her debut album in 2022. The album was a huge success, reaching the top of the sales charts in her country.
Euro-Country is CMAT’s 3rd album, with a title full of meaning. It reminds us that Ireland plays a major role in the European origins of country music, but also that the country is part of the Eurozone, unlike Great Britain. With lyrics that are both humorous and quite committed, the singer denounces the hidden side of her country’s economic success. The cover, which is unapologetically kitsch – see her website – hides a pop sound that strikes a nice balance between a certain format and the artist’s artistic choices. It’s a nice alternative to Sabrina Carpenter’s overly calibrated latest album.
Although country elements are more prominent on certain tracks, such as ‘When A Good Man Cries’, they do not dominate the album. Closer to commercial pop, this disc fortunately retains an appeal in its compositions and a momentum that is perfectly rendered by fairly exemplary production. Everything is in its right place, especially the lead vocals and backing vocals. The tempo changes are perfectly negotiated by impeccable rhythm, and the instruments – piano, violins and guitars – take turns coming to the fore depending on the track, maintaining a real connection between them while each retaining its own distinctive character thanks to the beautiful definition of their timbres.