Ashlee Dickson “Where You Gonna Run?” – Review

9/10

Written by: The Wolf

www.ashleedickson.com

I’ve always had quite a bit of a soft spot for female singer/songwriters. Something about the gentility and softness with which they sing, and the lack of ego you sometimes associate with their male counterparts, cuts to my core. I’m always on the lookout for up-and-coming new female artists, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover a great new talent right in my own backyard.

Ashlee Dickson is a California native who relocated to Salt Lake City several years ago, and recently released her debut album Where You Gonna Run.

Themes of heartbreak, loss, longing, love and starting over are prevalent throughout the LP, and you get a great sense of the emotions experienced when the songs were written. The feelings really come through in Ashlee’s voice and in the passion with which she plays. Having also had the opportunity to see Ashlee perform live, I can attest to the intense nature and genuine quality of her music.

While more country tinged than most of her female contemporaries in the local music scene, the lap steel, fiddles, harmonica, and Ashlee’s slight twang (credited to a few years spent in the Carolinas) add a refreshing element to an overall excellent and heartfelt record.

Standout tracks include Salt Lake City Sunrise with fellow local musician Mason Jones, San Francisco, which features a great electric guitar accompaniment, and the title track, Where You Gonna Run?.

If, like me, you can appreciate honest-to-goodness emotion and talent sometimes lacking in today’s musicians, do yourself a favor and check out Ashlee Dickson.

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