As cheesy as they are, I’m a sucker for inspirational tunes. So when Rachel Platten’s uplifting single Fight Song was released last year, I couldn’t help myself.
Led by Platten’s resolve-filled voice, motivational lyrics, and a pulsating beat, it lit a fire in me whether it comes to facing some personal demons head on, or simply completing a session at the gym.
Well, lucky for me, there’s more of that in her latest studio album Wildfire. Following in the footsteps of her breakout hit, Stand By You boasts an infectious foot-stomping chorus promising to weather through the storms of life with a friend in need.
That’s not all. Beating Me Up begs us not to be so hard on our failures; Superman is a tribute to the personal heroes in our lives, and Angels In Chelsea focuses on the good that is going on in the world.
And when she’s not putting out these words of encouragement, the 34-year-old singer sings about relationships. She describes the joys of falling in love in Better Place. Delivered with such child-like innocence, it has a nursery rhyme quality to it that sets it apart from the rest of the songs.
What amazes me most is that Platten, who seemed to have come out of nowhere with Fight Song, manages to churn out one earworm after another. Nearly half the album is filled with tracks ready to become radio singles. Wildfire is proof that she’s avoiding the curse of the one-hit wonder pretty well.
Rachel Platten
Wildfire
(Sony Music)
