REVIEW: Sarah King -- When It All Goes Down
Howdy, cowpoke! We’re right in the middle of the fundraiser for issue 4 of the Rainbow Rodeo zine! If you want to keep supporting queer country artists like Sarah King, pre-order your copy, cop a t-shirt, or make a donation here!
Sarah King has a voice from another time — or maybe it’s just timeless. King can belt with the best of them, covering a wide array of ground on her new album When It All Goes Down. There’s a reason King is a frequent flyer here at Rainbow Rodeo. Her utter command of her performances contrasts sharply with her lyrics of discovery, pain, and self-reclamation.
Whether King is telling off an abusive ex, vowing to rise again, or powering through a rousing Led Zepplin cover, the theme here is knowing yourself more than anything. That’s why the disco groove of “Stronger Than You Ever Knew” feels of a piece with the bluesy seduction of “Lord Take My Soul” and the freewheeling Zep song “Hey Hey What Can I Do.”
Amongst the assertiveness is the dark tendril of substance abuse and its impact on relationships. “Whiskey Thinking” is one of the most vulnerable songs on the album, showcasing the purity of King’s voice — a wrenching plea as the narrator succumbs to decisions she knows she should not make. Contrasted with “Pretty Things,” a slow burner about the dangers of a partnership that is too tempting, and we find King turning the tables as the lover who knows they will do the hurting, rather than be hurt.
This study in contrasts illustrates the When It All Goes Down‘s complexity: not only are there multiple perspectives in a story, we are never just one character in it. The album presents us with ample opportunities to examine how we think of ourselves…and if that assessment is accurate.
Sarah King — Official, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp
We’re right in the middle of the fundraiser for issue 4 of the Rainbow Rodeo zine! If you want to keep supporting queer country artists like Sarah King, pre-order your copy, cop a t-shirt, or make a donation here!
