The 23-minute, aptly-titled country album is a heartbroken Texan’s dream. Pull up your cowboy boots, crack open a bottle of wine and try your darndest not to call your ex.
Hernandez, a songwriter and recording artist for UT’s very own UTalent Records, puts her songwriting skills on display in her debut album, In Memoriam. The seven-song album, produced with UTalent, is well-mixed and hones in on Hernandez’s sweet and teasing vocals. Those vocals are at their strongest in the second track, “Dirt On Your Name.”
Released first as a single, “Dirt On Your Name” is a taunt. Like the classic break-up songs of her influences – legends like Miranda Lambert to name one, “Dirt On Your Name” is an unflinching message of heartbreak and betrayal. The first track, “Gasoline,” is on par with the best of Kacey Musgraves. As my personal favorite, Country is alive and well in “Gasoline.”
In Memoriam seeps with vulnerability and closes on a mournful note. “I Don’t Drink” reminds the listener that this is, at its core, a break-up album. The track is a letter addressed to the lost, and the simple lines “I hate to admit it / But it’s you I’ve been missing” need no flowery language or backing tracks. If the album has been a journey, “I Don’t Drink” is our conclusion. But it’s no happy ending, it’s drunken and messy, much like a heartbreak.
In Memoriam is for those of us who grew up on the women of Country. Though just one year old, it’s a strong first contribution from Hernandez to Austin’s Country scene. Keep your eyes on this one, Kylie Hernandez is just getting started.
