Not every woman can say they married their wife at a ceremony officiated by Trisha Yearwood, but Florida native Brooke Eden can, and her new EP, Outlaw Love, released via BMG/BBR Group, features four tracks unapologetic about love. Eden co-wrote each of the four tracks, which were produced by Lindsay Rimes (Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett).
Eden has made consistent waves since arriving on the music scene in 2014 with her self-released debut EP, and then releasing two with Broken Bow Records (now BBR Music Group) in between appearances on the seventh and tenth seasons of American Idol.
Ironically, the first track on her latest collection, Outlaw Love, ‘Whispering’ is more of a yell, although it is a statement about not appearing to be affected by the whispers of people witnessing two people – in Eden’s authentic-self situation, kissing her now-wife. Of course, the song could also be about any love that’s apparently forbidden by society.
The second track, Chills, co-written with Cameron Bedell, Breland and Noby Sidez, definitely sends them down my spine, dragged along by a fierce electric guitar that tries to compete with Eden’s vocals.
To say these four tracks are loud as well as proud is an understatement; the sentiment and the lyrics I appreciate, but at times the music overpowers Eden’s powerhouse vocals. No small achievement. Heavy guitars sway the country to pop, though Eden has opened for Garth Brooks, as well as Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Eden also cites ‘90s country as an influence. The final track, ‘Outlaw Love’ does suggest a hint of The Chicks, with controlled vocals left to shine through the sound, and it’s the strongest on the EP.
The explosion of music on the ‘Outlaw Love’ EP wasn’t present on 2016’s EP ‘Welcome To The Weekend’, and those four tracks are definitely worth a listen, with ‘Act Like You Don’t’ garnering over 24 million hits on Spotify. The music, as life, does evolve, and 2023’s Brooke Eden is publicly very different a decade on.
I’d be interested to see the direction Eden’s full album will eventually take, whether earlier music arrangements, and the title track of this EP, ‘Outlaw Love’, (co-written with producer Rimes, Emily Weisband and James McNair) tell her stories, or whether the high-energy, poppier direction is chosen.
Tracklist: 1. Whispering 2. Chills 3. All My Life 4. Outlaw Love Record Label: BBR Music Group Release Date: Friday June 9th Buy ‘Outlaw Love’ now
