Maddie & Tae - Through The Madness Vol. 2

It's not yet been a year since the release of the first instalment, but the newly dropped Through the Madness Volume 2 finds Maddie & Tae demonstrating noticeable artistic growth, confronting fragments of adulthood.

With a songwriting credit on every track, the duo succeeds when leaning into their own vulnerability, finding nuanced ways to further experiment with their dynamic vocals.

The opener ‘Well in Your World’ is a forgiving act of youthful lost love which aptly compliments the gorgeous ‘Every Night Every Morning’ as a fully realized testament to present-day adult relationships.

Album standout ‘More Than Maybe’ is a concrete example of the duo’s super power: delivering perfect vocals guided by a heartfelt and universally understood lyric. Their conviction is felt in every line.

The stripped-back production of ‘These Tears’ is a rarity for the team, an approach that should certainly be further explored. Closing with the stomping, sass-filled ‘Spring Cleaning’ recalls Miranda Lambert's Four the Record, but leaves the listener begging for more. Yet, witnessing the often displayed humor of Maddie & Tae, that is probably the point.

While this is the final bookend of the Through the Madness era, Maddie & Tae have fully demonstrated in 2022 that the fate of duos within the genre is in faithful and steady hands.

8/10

Through The Madness Vol. 2 is out now on Verve Mercury Nashville. You can purchase / listen to the record through Holler's selected partners below: