Allison Russell
Outside Child
2021
Few contemporary artists match Allison Russell for a creative vision of what “Americana” can actually encompass. The sub-genre has spent the better part of the last twenty years sanding down the edges of the alt-country movement and has centered a polite, genteel whiteness to such an extent that it often plays like the musical equivalent of Jordan Peele’s Get Out.
Russell is one of the many artists who has pushed back mightily on that trend, tackling difficult subject matter with clarity and embracing a range of musical influences from across the breadth of the country universe. Outside Child exemplifies Russell’s artistry in both of those ways and represents what country music in all of its forms can really do. A work about reclaiming one’s agency, the album draws inspiration from Russell’s horrific physical, psychological, and sexual abuse at the hands of her adoptive father. Like Allison Moorer’s Blood, though, this isn’t an album of trauma tourism.
Instead, Russell focuses on her journey of recovery and how she used her cunning and human connections to reach a place of both safety and joy. She pays tribute to the city that sheltered her as a teenage runaway (opener “Montreal”), draws parallels between her own experiences as those from ancient Classics (“Nightflyer,” “Persephone”), and gives voice to those who face similar struggles (“The Hunter,” “All of the Women”). Indeed, there’s a sense of community that runs through the record; both Yola and The McCrary Sisters are here, and Russell’s husband figures into the closing “Joyful Motherfuckers.”
Throughout, Russell’s keen intellect and curiosity shine through. The importance of literature, fantasy, and art as means of escapism is a central theme to the record– Russell has spoken of how those were important survival tools– and she takes a similarly exploratory approach to sounds of traditional folk, country, blues, and Caribbean music. Outside Child may be rooted in traditional forms of music and narrative, but it’s a record that pushes the genre forward and points to a brighter future.
Additional Listening:
- Russell teamed up with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Amythyst Kiah for the extraordinary Songs of Our Native Daughters.
- For those willing to look outside the country genre, Russell’s latest album, The Returner, is a triumph of contemporary soul music that proves her ability to push boundaries isn’t limited to country.
Country Universe: A 20th Anniversary Retrospective
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