Tag Archives: Lauren Alaina

In sharp contrast with the sensitive balladry of “Like My Mother Does,” American Idol graduate Lauren Alaina does a total 180 with her follow-up release “Georgia Peaches” – a spunky, loud, in-your-face uptempo that’s all about the southern beauties who hail from the state of Georgia.

Perhaps the song’s most notable positive characteristic is the wild, unrestrained energy with which Alaina attacks the song.  It’s a wonder that that energy shines through, as producer Byron Gallimore sounds like he’s doing his best to drown her out.  It comes as a pleasant surprise that fiddles are audibly included in the mix, but layers of rock guitars force Alaina to compete against a nearly impenetrable wall of noise.  Though the song namedrops both Alan Jackson and Jason Aldean, the musical styling definitely owes more to the latter, with audacious guitar licks that sound unpleasantly reminiscient of some of Aldean’s less tolerable efforts.

Neither the vocal nor the production is able to push the song past the cliché fencing.  The lyrics read like a familiar checklist of safely familiar country radio themes, with “Mama” and “Sunday church” both getting shout-outs, while the song displays the same rural self-congratulatory attitude that has made country music’s frat boys so insufferable as of late.  While the hook - “There’s a reason why the boys pick the Georgia Peaches” – strains to sound clever, it becomes nearly intolerable with repeated listenings.

If Alaina can just take all that infectious energy, and channel it into a better song, then we could be in good shape.  But the way it is, Alaina’s “Georgia Peaches” lacks any discernible hint of freshness.

Written by Blair Daly, Mallary Hope, and Rachel Proctor

Grade:  C

Listen:  Georgia Peaches