Sierra Ferrell dropped her highly anticipated sophomore album, Trail of Flowers, today.
As a music reviewer I have so many notes about how incredible I think this project is we are going to dive into. But as a fan and a music consumer, Sierra Ferrell hits me to the core with both of her albums containing songs that resonate so deeply with where I am personally, and this album already has a chokehold on me.
Sierra Ferrell took her time releasing her sophomore album, ensuring that it could carry weight against her debut album, Long Time Coming, and Trail of Flowers does exactly that, if not more. On her debut album, Ferrell showed the world that her sound was going to be more dynamic than an Appalachian or folk artist, bending the laws of the genre by pulling influence from jazz and Latin sounds, curating something that could not be put in a box. Trail of Flowers continues on that path, further defining her authentic and captivating sound.
With the singles released leading up to the album, like “Fox Hunt” and “I Could Drive You Crazy,” we hear those deeply rooted, fiddle-heavy traditional melodies, and then with “Dollar Bill Bar” and her last single, “American Dreaming” and modern take on Appalachian country music. You never know what you are going to get with Ferrell, keeping fans locked into her music.
While these were great previews for what the album was to sound like, there are so many other gems on this 12-track list. From the Latin flare you hear on “Rosemary” to the slow waltz healed heartbreak ballad of “Wish You Well,” shifting to the old-time saloon feel of “Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time In Cheatham County.” this album is filled with dynamic storytelling and tantalizing melodies that accompany.
I’ve said it before, but I am saying it with my chest after listening to this album in full. We ARE in the era of Sierra.
“American Dreaming”
“Wish You Well”
Listening to this song feels like a healed follow-up to “Give It Time” off Long Time Coming. The pain of knowing you might not have answers as to why a lover left your life. While you hope they recognize how they hurt you, you do not let them occupy your mind anymore.
“I know that you tried to hide behind the lies you tell
Though you’ve hurt me, I still wish you well
Nothing could prepare the joy you took from me
Stole away the person I was when I was free…”
“Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time In Cheatham County”
“Money Train”
This song feels deeply personal to Ferrell as she lived as a train hopper before pursuing a career in music. While she has spoken about how hard that lifestyle is before on podcasts, she also looked back on the phase of her life in a positive light.
“Rosemary”
Sierra Ferrell Tour Dates
4/3 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre &
4/4 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre &
4/6 – Olympic Valley, CA – WinterWonderGrass Tahoe
4/9-4/13 – Puerto Aventuras, QR – The Avett Brothers At The Beach
4/17 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman #
4/18 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre #
4/19 – Fayetteville, AR – JJ’s Live #
4/20-4/21 – Georgetown, TX – Two Step Inn
4/23 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall #
4/24 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall #
4/26 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue #
4/27 – Milwaukee, WI – The Pabst Theater #
4/28 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant #
5/9 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern %
5/10 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall %
5/11 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz %
5/12 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte %
5/14 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer %
5/16 – New York, NY – Webster Hall %
5/17 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium^
5/18 – Boston, MA – The Stage at Suffolk Downs^
5/21 – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl^
5/22 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club %
5/23 – Albany, NY – MVP Arena^
5/24 – Canandaigua, NY – Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts^
5/26 – Cumberland, MD – DelFest
6/4 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena*
6/6-6/8 – Torrey, UT – Forest Desolation Fest
6/7 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena*
6/8 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena*
6/14 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High*
6/15 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High*
6/20-6/23 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival
6/27-6/29 – Eau Claire, WI – Blue Ox Festival
7/12-7/14 – Whitefish, MT – Under The Big Sky Festival
7/26 – Floyd, VA – Floydfest
7/28 – Newport, RI – Newport Folk Fest
8/10 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theatre!
8/11 – Seattle, WA – Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre!
8/12 – Portland, OR – Pioneer Courthouse Square!
8/14 – Boise, ID – Idaho Botanical Garden: Outlaw Field!
8/16 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom!
8/18 – Santa Fe, NM – The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Co.
8/24 – Memphis, TN – Overton Park Shell
9/1 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion with Mitski
9/10 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
9/14 – Asbury Park, NJ – Sea.Hear.Now. Festival
9/19-9/22 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond
&w/ Sierra Hull
#w/ Cat Clyde
%w/ Jake Kohn
^w/ The Avett Brothers
*w/ Zach Bryan
! w/ Nick Shoulders
