Review: Willow Avalon raises hell in her debut album, toeing the lines of sadness and sass with strong themes of female empowerment, satire, and heartbreak.

Athens' Willow Avalon is raising hell with the release of her debut album. Avalon presents a cohesive and distinct first official record in “Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell.” Though she is not new to the music scene and comes by her talents honestly, this album makes it clear that Avalon is a badass songwriter with strong wit and an undeniably relatable point of view.

Humor and vulnerability color the work, carrying popular singles like “Getting Rich, Going Broke” and “Tequila or Whiskey.” Avalon’s storytelling is concise by way of wearing her heart on her sleeve, as the record holds a treasure trove of songs for the heartbroken, or by hitting close to home. The intro track, “Runs in the Family,” lays the groundwork for the cozy-closeness of the album, with voice recordings across ambient sound, closing with, “we had a good time just all singing together; music was always in our family.” And this is apparent– Avalon’s voice has that recognizable combination of purity and grit.

Avalon’s vocals are consistently and eerily beautiful, carrying melodies that are both catchy and comforting; no shortage of “ooohs” or “yodelayhee-whos” to get stuck in your head. The instrumentation has that concise and nostalgic folk-Americana feel, with guitars and percussion that drive much of the record, showcased notably in tracks like “Homewrecker” and the title track, “Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell.” Avalon has managed to produce songs that are edgy in content, yet classic in musicality, pointing listeners to nostalgic tones like that of some of the famously badass female musicians that came before her (some of which are mentioned by name and with clear intention to help you connect those dots; see, “Hey There, Dolly.")

Willow Avalon toes the lines of sadness and sass by producing lyrics with strong themes of female empowerment, satire, and heartbreak. It takes a highly artistically developed songwriter to house lyrics like, “I guess his eyes are brown because they’re so full of shit,” and “The day might be new, but it’s still the same sad truths” all on the same record and in a way that makes sense. 

She’s struck the chord of authenticity with this record thanks to her cleverness, dare-I-say southern charm, and undoubtable individuality. Knowing this debut is sure to leave its mark for the young artist, I can declare with certainty that Kapoorhouse is happy to see such an authentic songwriter, such as Willow, garner continued love and support from all over.