Lauren Alaina is packing a punch with her latest EP, Unlocked. The 6-track EP is also her first release since signing with Nashville’s Big Loud Records. As she shares in a press release,
“I’m so proud to have Unlocked out in the world,” Alaina shares. “Five years ago, I don’t know that I would’ve cut any of these songs; it took slowing down, getting to know myself, digging deep in the writing room, and living some life to bring me to this place with this new music. I feel like I’ve fully embraced and stepped into who I am as a woman, an artist, a songwriter, and I’m so excited for my fans to get to step into this next chapter with me”(Alaina, PR team).
The EP opens with the upbeat tune, “A Walk In The Bar”. The song is a fun play on the expression, “Walk in the park”– exactly how she feels about how easily she’s finding herself moving on after a breakup. This is followed by “Hangovers,” a track that shows listeners the opposite reality where moving on is a lot harder than it seems. There’s also a clever comparison between heartache and hangovers, as she explains that moving on isn’t as fast as getting over a hangover. “Don’t Judge A Woman” is one of the stronger tracks on the EP, thanks to its fresh concept. Within the song, Alaina encourages listeners to not judge a woman for the man she’s with or the choices she makes in his company. Rather, the singer wants them to see a woman for who she is on her own. After all, you never know what someone is going through, the choices made available to them or the full extent of their romantic relationships (love still exists; it doesn’t need to make sense to anyone but the two individuals in the relationship).
“Smaller The Town” is a breakup song that outlines the perils of going through a breakup in a tight-knit, small town–especially when you share mutual friends and acquaintances with your ex. In “Like Her,” she sings of wanting to hate her ex’s new girl, but she likes her and would be friends with her if it weren’t for him. The singer also builds up her ex’s new girlfriend instead of tearing her down, which is a welcomed alternative to the usual tracks that would pit the two women against each other. The EP closes off with two versions of “Thicc As Thieves”— a fun, Southern country girl anthem. In one version, Alaina takes the full lead on the vocals. In the other, she shares the spotlight with fellow powerhouse, Lainey Wilson. This version is the most upbeat track on the whole EP, as it celebrates the beauty of friendship. Not to glaze over the iconic Thelma & Louise reference, which further cements the song’s central theme.
THE VERDICT
Overall, the EP is a fun, positive introduction to Lauren Alaina’s next chapter in her career. If you’re a fan of pop-country or looking for your next get over him breakup anthem, you’ll love the tracks on this album.
UNLOCKED TRACKLIST
- A Walk In The Bar (Lauren Alaina, Casey Brown, Lydia Vaughan, Parker Welling)
- Hangovers (John Byron, Greylan James, Josh Osborne, Matt Roy)
- Don’t Judge A Woman (Autumn McEntire, Joybeth Taylor, Sarah Allison Turner)
- Smaller The Town (Zach Crowell, Joel Hutsell, Cole Swindell, Hunter Phelps)
- Like Her (Trannie Anderson, Joe Fox, Emily Landis, Ella Langley)
- Thicc As Thieves (feat. Lainey Wilson) (Lauren Alaina, Rocky Block, Luke Bryan, Dallas Davidson, Jacob Durrett, Parker Welling)
- Thicc As Thieves (Lauren Alaina, Rocky Block, Luke Bryan, Dallas Davidson, Jacob Durrett, Parker Welling)
*All songs produced by Joey Moi
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*This article is a release “From the Vault”. Updated information has been included to introduce a fresh & relevant perspective.
Lauren Alaina. “ Unlocked.” Spotify, Big Loud Records. 2023.<https://open.spotify.com/album/5jIrhXNIfworFD7q9R5GQm?si=RPX4a39tRmKOni1uEvhu_g>.
PR team.“Lauren Alaina: Unlocked”. Jun 1 2023. Press Release.
Unknown. “Featured: Lauren Alaina. PC: Robby Klein”. Courtesy of PR Team. Accessed Jun 1 2023.
Unknown. “Featured: Lauren Alaina. PC: Robby Klein”. Courtesy of PR Team. Accessed Jun 1 2023.
Unknown. “Official cover art for Lauren Alaina’s EP, Unlocked. PC: Robby Klein. Courtesy of Big Loud Records”. Courtesy of PR Team. Accessed Jun 1 2023.
