Known for its castles, The Alps, Sigmund Freud, the setting for The Sound of Music and probably the late pop star Falco, Austria is a beautiful blend of historical culture and modern twists. You might not think of it as being the next country or Americana capital of the world? Not yet at least. In her new album Outgrowing Ourselves, singer/songwriter B.B. Cole helps put Austria on the map for a new sound, a new musical revolution. Cole (born Barbara Bressler-Kolembar) boasts a unique sonic journey in her exciting debut.
She showed me how alive my life can be, Cole sings in the first song, “She Gave Me Feathers”. Quickly establishing a rapport with the listener with her compassionate voice, “She Gave Me Feathers” has the makings to be a hit song. I really felt like it hit the heartstrings, and you can tell Cole isn’t just singing words from a page. We all have that person in our life that builds us up, that has our back. That’s what she’s sharing in this track – and it’s lovely and very loving.
On the opposite spectrum in terms of themes, the next song is “Demons”. They know how to shake me, Cole sings. The entire song is optimistic and bright – she’s happy to have the demons and even says she loves them because they make up who she is as a person. She embraces them – she even dances with them. I’ll admit – I was moving my shoulders and hips to this track. It’s got a great beat.
“Emotional Baggage” and “Some Kind of Religion” are the next two tracks. I think in these tracks in particular, you can hear the influence of Loretta Lynn. In Cole’s press materials, she makes special note to share that she knew if Lynn could write her first song at age 35 and a mother of four, Cole felt like she was in great shape being a mother of two. She has a way with words and I think her artistic perspective is keen. I loved the way she really creates clear pictures of her lyrics and these songs have a storyline. “Emotional Baggage” surprised me, too, with its twangy cowbell.
The next crop of songs are “My Decision”, “Pieces Of Me” and “When I Was A Little Girl”. I think Cole continues to peel back different aspects of her own life, but the listener quickly discovers these are universal feelings and instances. “When I Was A Little Girl” captures this idea of a girl that is a bit of an outsider, a bit of a character. I loved the colors of the song and the way you fall in love with this girl because she is so defiantly herself. You really feel that with Cole in general. She’s not trying to be anything but try to herself. “Wear Your Crown” and “Tears + Fears” are the final songs. Cole goes from empowering young women (or women of any age, really) to her triumphant song about being at peace.
Outgrowing Ourselves is one of 2022’s best yet. I really think fans of all genres will adore B.B. Cole and her top-notch songwriting skills. Her voice sounds just as good as her songwriting, too.
Claire Uebelacker