Music Review: Megan Moroney's charms grow stronger on sophomore album, 'Am I Okay?'

It begins with the title track: “Am I Okay?” Megan Moroney, a storied student of country music — and an expert in the genre's ability to flip a turn of phrase and change its meaning in surprising and unexpected ways — does exactly that. It's a love song, a declaration that maybe, just maybe, this cowgirl who's always singing the blues may finally be in a healthy relationship and more confident.

While most of the songs on this 14-track collection veer into less optimistic territory, Moroney's increased confidence is heard where it matters most: in the strength of her songwriting.

Not long ago, Moroney was a student at the University of Georgia, studying to become an accountant and leaving with a music business degree. While still in school, Moroney wrote songs, played shows, and interned with Sugarland’s Kristian Bush, who’d later produce her stellar debut album, 2023’s “Lucky," one of AP's picks for best of the year, and this one. The rest, in many ways, is history: She demonstrated a natural ability for songwriting — a style she's dubbed “emo cowgirl” — eventually leading to the career-making “Tennessee Orange," a cheeky SEC football ballad that quickly became ubiquitous on country radio. Building off the success of a meteoric rise may be daunting. But she wears it well.

“Am I Okay?” is more expansive than the album that came before it but continues to develop Moroney's particular charms: There are rallying kiss-offs ("Man on the Moon") and soul-crushing ballads ("No Caller ID," the Vince Gill-assisted “Hope You're Happy,” and the particularly effective, grieving “Heaven By Noon,” written about an uncle who died on 9/11.)

Pleasures abound: “Noah” breaks the fourth wall in a way that recalls one of Moroney's clear predecessors, Taylor Swift. “Miss Universe” has the best Brad Pitt-reference in a pop-country song since Shania Twain's “That Don’t Impress Me Much.”

“Mama I Lied" is a full-hearted breakup ballad — complete with ascendent strings and Moroney's confessional rasp filling the room. The spirited instrumentation works: “Man on the Moon" is a rollicking, rocking country hit, and “Indifferent” has moments of pop-punk bliss.

In whole, “Am I Okay?” builds off the strengths of “Lucky,” and demonstrates an artist growing more assertive in her talents — but not immune to the everyday injustices of being in her 20s, a period of bad boyfriends and worse drinks. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more relatable voice in contemporary country music for young women.

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