ALBUM REVIEW: Britti Debuts a Flavorful Mix of Country and R&B on ‘Hello, I’m Britti’
Jim Shahen
Posted On January 30, 2024
You don’t get many chances to make a first impression. One, in fact. Brittany Guerin, who performs under the name Britti, understands that and is making the most of her opportunity on her debut LP Hello, I’m Britti.
The New Orleans native-turned-Nashville resident performs an elegant blend of country and R&B, held together by her ethereal vocals. With the help of producer Dan Auerbach and his Easy Eye label, Britti showcases these stylistic flourishes across 11 well-crafted songs.
Lead single “Nothing Compares to You” provides an ideal snapshot of some of the various styles at play on the record. It starts with a sparse, swampy blues arrangement that Britti’s voice delicately floats over. As the song continues and builds, a horn section that channels the bold arrangements characteristic to the New Orleans sound kicks in. The elements come together seamlessly to create something unique, yet familiar.
“Save Me” is another winner. Punctuated by a swinging beat and Auerbach’s typically punchy production, it plays like a wedding of Dusty Springfield and The Supremes. Britti showcases the full range of her vocal abilities, moving from soft-spoken vulnerability on the verses to passionate yearning on the chorus. This vocal affect, moving from gentle to boldly voiced emotionality, is also effectively put to use on the ’90s R&B-meets-pop-country ballad “So Tired” and helps to define Britti’s musical identity.
Nestled right around the midpoint of the album is “Keep Running,” a mission statement for Britti. The track is autobiographical, hearkening back to the time period before her move to Nashville to record Hello, I’m Britti, an uncertain moment when she was both out of work and recovering from a bad breakup. Backed by a taut, propulsive arrangement, she stops to face her fears. She laments that “I keep running so I don’t have to feel” her emotions and move past the obstructions keeping her from following her dreams and finding happiness.
In that context, Hello, I’m Britti is the sound of Britti overcoming those hurdles to find herself as an artist. It’s a solid start to what hopefully will be a lengthy, creatively fruitful musical career.
Hello, I’m Britti is out Feb. 2 on Easy Eye Sound.
