MUSIC REVIEW: PRISCILLA BLOCK – Welcome To The Block Party

Label: UMG Records / InDent Records

Release Date: February 11, 2022

Rating: 93%

Reviewer: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Good music is good music and if it gets you singing, dancing, and overall enjoying, it rocks… regardless of the actual genre of the music you are listening to.  The same can be said about the debut full-length release from Priscilla Block.  From first listen, I couldn’t get enough of the handful of songs I heard and couldn’t wait to ease back and dig into the rest of the disc.  Disc opener “Welcome To The Block Party” is an interlude that adds clips from various interviews, introductions, and other sound bites welcoming you to Priscilla’s world and her Block Party.  “My Bar” the country sound of today is still rooted in twang and some slide, but Block perfects the pop country hybrid sound that swirls radio friendly country with some catchy hooks and contagious lyrics.  Her vocals carry the song and invite you to join her.. or leave the bar depending on who you are in this scenario.  “Like A Boy” kicks off with a heavy handed piano interlude that sets the emotional bar for the track.  The lyric weaves a story that seems to be ripped from deep within Priscilla, but gives us another glimpse at the stories that have molded her as a writer and singer.  “Ever Since You Left” is all twang, attitude, and fun from the first note to the last.  The heavy bottom end suits the track perfectly and gives the track a killer anchor that allows the vocals and guitars to soar, dip, and dive in the mix.  The lyrics are fun and should go over well in a live setting whether in a Nashville honky tonk or an East Coast venue.  “I Bet You Wanna Know” is catchy and driven and is seemingly over before you know it.  The lyric is cool and gives us a glimpse into what the guy who made a bad decision might be thinking on any given night… and something we have all wondered after a relationship went sideways.  “Wish You Were The Whiskey” isn’t just another song about my favorite beverage.  The groove of the track draws you in and begs you to sing along before the first chorus finishes.  The play on words at time is cool (“like a Fireball light me up”) and gives you enough to sing as you learn the words with each listen.  I love the swagger woven into the music on this track and can almost see a breakdown in a live situation with the drums carrying the bottom end while Block engages the crowd to sing along “now I’m drunk…” on a repeated chorus near the bridge.

“Heels In Hand” is a cool track that I find myself singing with each pass through.  The musical component is cool and has a great cadence that gets the foot tapping while you join in on the choruses.  Be sure to catch the cool guitar riff that accompanies the bridge and breakdown.  As with most of the disc, these songs perfectly frame Blocks vocals, or maybe its the other way around.  “I Know A Girl” takes the other side of the coin from the previous “Like A Boy” and drapes her thick vocal over the ‘it’s gonna get better’ vibe and storyline.  The layered vocals of Block swirled with guest Hillary Lindsey add depth to the track.  This is one of the more emotionally charged vocals on the disc.  “Thick Thighs” is an amazing song that gets you to listen through a second time based on the lyrics, but the real magic of this track is the way Priscilla makes herself very relatable to anyone that will listen.  Block’s vocal is great and pushes the song across the finish line, but you cannot ignore the string instruments in the mix.  This is a fun song that may have gained her some streams and fans, but it is simply scratching the surface of her talent.  “I’ve Gotten Good” is another track that benefits from Priscilla’s vocal that is mature beyond her physical age.  The swirl of guitars, rhythm section, and her vocal come together demonstrating that at least sonically she has gotten very good.  The overall vibe of the track helps tie together all of the tracks on the disc.  “Just About Over You” is a great song  that plays counterpart to earlier songs like “My Bar” where Block tells a tale of someone not so sure about moving on.  The guitars, bass, drums, and light keyboard in the background give the lyric a great landscape to run across, taking on a full sound and feel as the chorus hits.  Disc closer “Peaked In High School” is a the perfect middle finger track we have all imagined singing at one time or another if we weren’t as cool or popular as some of our peers.  While we may not all be what we imagined we would be, we are what and who we are and trust me — Priscilla dug deep and nailed it for everyone that was ever made to feel like less growing up.  Don’t sleep on this disc and new artist – put it in your collection and sing along with Block and the rest of us.

Tracklisting: Welcome To The Block Party – My Bar – Heels In Hand – Like A Boy – I Know A Girl – Ever Since You Left – Thick Thighs – I Bet You Wanna Know – I’ve Gotten Good – Wish You Were The Whiskey – Just About Over You – Peaked In High School

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WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY ITUNES

Category: CD Reviews