Review by Grace Brennan Derbyshire

Earlier this month, Ashley McBryde, a prominent female figure in Nashville’s country music scene, made a triumphant return with her third album, titled The Devil I Know. All 11 tracks on the album were co-written by McBryde.

Throughout the album, McBryde revisits her musical origins, presenting tracks that brim with raw emotion. It’s that raw emotion that is the standout quality of the album. The Devil I Know is filled with genuine vulnerability which turns into advice that McBryde weaves into her songs. She pens her lyrics for those who have experienced heartbreak, offering them a comforting sanctuary in the lyrics.

In the album’s standout and most streamed track thus far, Light On In The Kitchen, she beautifully conveys the guidance women provide each other throughout various stages in life with a 90s-inspired pop country sound. In the upbeat chorus, she sings, “And honey, boys are dumb, but you’re gonna find your one.“

She looks inward throughout the album, but specifically on two tracks. During the acoustic-country song Learned to Lie, she opens about the unhealthy relationship between her parents and how that has impacted (and continues to impact) her and her relationships. Likewise, the country turned rock song The Devil I Know speaks about self sabotage with the lyrics, “Hell, there is hell everywhere I go, so I’m sticking with the devil I know” while being accompanied by guitar and drums.

Alcohol and the complicated relationship people have with it is a theme throughout the album. Tracks like the rock-influenced Blackout Betty detail the continued mistakes of drinking to the point of not remembering and 6th of October, which is notably the last track on the album, details the struggles of staying sober.

However, on the folk and bluegrass styled track Coldest Beer in Town, McBryde uses the famous phrase about the alcoholic beverage to say not to believe everything you hear. Likewise, the upbeat country track Women Ain’t Whiskey details how a woman shouldn’t be treated like something that calms a man’s loneliness.

Cool Little Bars is also a harmonica-backed track, speaking about the importance of independently-owned bars with lyrics that sing “Lord knows we need those Little holes in the wall for lost souls and old stray dogs.” With a similar message, the more traditional country track Whiskey and Country Music, speaks about the healing power of (or how “nothing takes the edge off” like) whiskey and country music.

The modern-country track Single At The Same Time is the closest to a traditional love song the album has, where McBryde sings what others may be too scared to share. It shares what it’s like for a pair of friends to both be in happy relationships, yet also still have the lingering question of if they would have been more if they weren’t in those stable relationships.

Throughout the album, McBryde reminds listeners that no topic is off limits. Her ability to insert personal experiences into her music is a driving force behind her growing and international fanbase. Her lyrics act as a mirror, reflecting the complexities of human existence, offering solace and advice to the heartbroken, while also celebrating life’s little wins and pleasures.