Gabby Barrett - Chapter & Verse
By Soda Canter
On her sophomore effort, Chapter & Verse, Gabby Barrett creates a stirring portrayal of motherhood, marriage and faith.
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Gabby Barrett - Chapter & Verse
Label: Warner Music Nashville
Producer: Gabby Barrett & Ross Copperman
Release Date: February 2, 2024
Tracklisting:
1. The Chapter
2. Cowboy Back
3. Dance Like No One's Watching
4. Glory Days
5. Had It All
6. Hard To Read
7. Growin' Up Raising You
8. Off The Highway
9. You're My Texas
10. Jesus On A Train
11. Grow Apart
12. God, Money & Love
13. All Of My Life
14. The Verse: Doxology (Amen)
On her sophomore effort, Chapter & Verse, Gabby Barrett creates a stirring portrayal of motherhood, marriage and faith. She ignores urges to imitate previous success and instead cements her longevity by unpacking her journey of “blazing the trail and burning the biscuits.”
While her debut LP, Goldmine, focused more on delivery and less on securing a memorable introduction, it created a barrier to truly understanding her as an artist. However, Chapter & Verse tears it down with a bookended structure that reflects Barrett’s mind, body and soul.
The opener, 'The Chapter', thoughtfully details her past and present with a nod to accepting change, whereas the closer, 'The Verse (Doxology)', demonstrates how she centers herself with faith through all of life’s pitfalls. It offers a deeply felt introduction to Barrett's abilities to reflect on her life and convey her beliefs in accessible, understandable ways. In between, she maturely shares further observations on her relationships, her growth and the all-too-relatable worries in life.
Catchy ‘Cowboy Back’ and sweeping ‘You’re My Texas’ honor her relationship with her husband with a substantial amount of heart. Yet her love is more deeply felt when facing her imperfections, particularly on the vulnerable ‘Hard to Read’ and when worrying about her future on the striking ‘Grow Apart.’ Each track represents her as an artist and as a woman who has unabashedly accepted herself.
While backing vocals from Luke Combs will help the nostalgic ‘Dance Like No One’s Watching’ easily find its way to radio, Barrett is at her best on the perfectly sorrowful ‘God, Money, & Love’. The latter showcases superb lyrics from Corey Crowder, Lori Mckenna and Phil Barton, only matched in excellence by Barrett’s outstanding vocal performance.
Chapter & Verse is a masterclass in sophomore releases. Demonstrating Barrett’s profound ability to bear her heart with no restrictions, she delicately executes a creative vision that elicits undeterred excitement for the chapters that lie ahead.
9/10
Gabby Barrett’s new project, Chapter & Verse, is available now via Warner Music Nashville.
