On her aptly titled debut solo record, Hardliner, singer-songwriter Hannah Juanita suffers no fools and pulls no punches. Blending the acidic lyricism of Loretta Lynn with instrumental arrangements and vocal performances that channel Patsy Cline’s greatest kiss-offs, Hardliner is a love letter to leaving, a spirited tribute to the life of a “Ramblin Gal”.
From album-openers “Call Yourself My Man” and “I’m Gonna Leave You”, to the stripped-back “Hard Hearted Woman”, Juanita—who after an extended stay in the Pacific Northwest now lives, writes, and performs in Nashville—tells a story of life on the run. Simpering men left in the dust. Burnt bridges and whirlwind queer romances that go down in flames.
Brimming with confidence and never short on bravado, Hardliner is the work of an artist who, despite only recently stepping into the role of full-time recording artist, seems to know precisely who she is. An artist who follows her heart and gut wherever they might point.
© 2021 Alley on Main
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