House On Fire (Capitol Nashville, 2024)
Mickey Guyton
Reviewed by Kevin Oliver
Being the first Black female artist nominated for a country music Grammy for her last album in 2021 meant there was likely some pressure on Mickey Guyton to follow up with more of the same, but she's obviously not succumbing to that influence with this new slice of songs. Instead, she brings on Kane Brown for an R&B flavored collaboration ("Nothing Compares to You") and injects a more pop-leaning sound to fully take advantage of her considerable vocal talent.
True to most current country albums, the length of time before its release means that fans have already heard four of these tunes when they came out as singles. The rest include some impressive material, however. "In Between," is a majestic pop ballad that Guyton's wide vocal range completely owns, while the title track is another radio-friendly, equally powerful number.
Guyton has reached the point in her career where she's earned the right to be considered on her own merits, not just as a Black female artist, but as a truly unique, current country music artist, and this album easily makes the case for that designation.
CDs by Mickey Guyton


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