Review: Morgan Wade Remains Timeless Through Revitalized Performances on ‘The Party is Over (recovered)’

RATING CHART:
1 note – Pass
1.5 notes – Mediocre
2 notes – Average
2.5 notes – Above Average
3 notes – Good
3.5 notes – Great
4 notes – Excellent
4.5 notes – Exceptional
5 notes – Classic

Videos by American Songwriter

MORGAN WADE
THE PARTY IS OVER(recovered)
(Ladylike/Sony)
🎵🎵🎵🎵

There hasn’t been much downtime in singer/songwriter Morgan Wade’s career since her 2021 solo debut Reckless, and its lead single, “Wilder Days,” became an immediate hit. 

Her second album (the first was an indie release sharing billing with her band, The Stepbrothers) introduced Wade’s gritty, swaggering, twangy voice and similarly styled lyrics concerning struggles with mental health, excessive drinking, and doomed relationships. It wasn’t the stuff of commercial radio. 

But her honesty, along with rousing, sing-along choruses and intimate folksy storytelling, resonated with audiences. Two additional albums appeared in the next three years, along with constant touring and recognition from Americana fans, cementing Wade’s talents, authenticity, and prolific work ethic.

That productive and creative streak continues here. But, along with new material, Wade revisits earlier compositions, implied by the word “recovered” appearing in parentheses. She rightly felt they needed to be preserved with better recordings. Four songs, including the title track, were included on a little-heard debut in 2018 (currently unavailable on most streaming services) with her old outfit. 

[RELATED: Exclusive: Morgan Wade Shares the Story Behind Her Romantic Title Track ‘Psychopath’]

It was a smart move. 

Wade’s early efforts were, and remain, mature beyond her years. Selections such as “The Party is Over,” with its thundering riff, ringing chorus, and story about being held captive by a doomed liaison, remain as potent and universal as when initially penned. Beefed-up production by Clint Wells (who also contributes guitars) and full-blown audio flesh out punchy rockers like the Springsteen-infused “Candy from Strangers” and rejuvenate the melancholy “Let Us Down,” the latter about unrequited love, with a fresh attack. Memories floating through the wistful, petty-inspired “Songs I Won’t Remember” resound. It’s another keeper about bygone romantic issues.

Those older tunes coalesce perfectly with Wade’s harder rocking style, which occasionally gets dialed down for newer ballads like “Left Me Behind” and the melancholy, bittersweet “East Coast.” 

All her songs boast powerful, memorable melodies, incorporating a twinge of country into often tougher-edged tracks, some written nearly a decade ago, that feel timeless, especially in these revitalized performances.

Pre-save Wade’s The Party is Over (recovered) HERE.