Courtney Marie Andrews made Painters Hands and a Seventh Son at 18 years old, and the record wants to prove she can handle big themes without sounding like a teenager. It mostly does, though the writing sometimes betrays how young she was when she wrote it.
Opening With Darling Boy
The album starts with “Darling Boy,” a slow-burning country song about love and loss that shows off her vocal range early. It earns its place as the standout track on the record.
“Differences and Affairs (Have Fun in Ohio)” follows, a shorter, lighter track that feels like a palate cleanser after the opener. It doesn’t demand much attention, but it moves the record along without slowing it down.
Red Randed Aesthetic Attractions Through Hitched a Ride
“Red Randed Aesthetic Attractions” is the kind of title that sounds more interesting than the song itself delivers. It’s pleasant enough but forgettable, the first real sign that some tracks aren’t doing the work the record needs them to.
“Common Ground for a Wallflower” runs longer than the songs around it and leans on a literary feel that doesn’t quite land. It’s not bad, but it’s easy to skip over.
“Cougar Street” picks the pace back up with a sharper edge, and it’s one of the tracks that holds attention through its full length. It’s not a highlight, but it’s one of the better songs in the middle stretch.
“Hitched a Ride” closes the first half of the record on a note of quiet resignation. It’s solid without being essential, another track that fills space rather than pushing the album forward.
The Buffalo and the Bird
“The Buffalo and the Bird” is the other standout track here. It’s built on a strong melody and a sense of scale that matches its title, and it’s the clearest sign of the talent that reviewers noted in her singing.
“A Seventh Son” is the shortest track on the record and one of the best. It’s a sharp, concise song that cuts through the filler around it, and it’s the track that gives the album its title.
Tucson on a Tuesday and Lullaby Kid
“Tucson on a Tuesday” and “Lullaby Kid” sit together as the weakest pair of tracks. Neither adds much to the record beyond the mood they set, and both are easy to miss entirely.
“One Nighters and Songs” is a slight step up from the songs around it, with a stronger chorus that gives it a bit more staying power.
Painters Hands and the Closing Stretch
“Painters Hands” is the title track and one of the strongest on the record, built around a piano line that carries the whole song. It’s the kind of track that justifies the album’s existence.
“Oh, the Blue” runs long and repeats itself, and it’s the moment the record loses momentum. It’s not a bad song, but it overstays its welcome.
“My Poetry” closes the record on a quieter note, a fitting end to an album that spends most of its time building toward a conclusion it doesn’t fully deliver.
What Works, What Doesn’t
The album’s highs are real:
- “Darling Boy” opens the record with confidence
- “The Buffalo and the Bird” is the strongest song on the record
- “A Seventh Son” is sharp and essential
- “Painters Hands” closes the record with purpose
Its lows are real too:
- “Red Randed Aesthetic Attractions” and “Common Ground for a Wallflower” don’t earn their place
- “Tucson on a Tuesday” and “Lullaby Kid” add nothing
- “Oh, the Blue” drags the record down
The Verdict
Courtney Marie Andrews was 18 when she made this record, and that age shows in spots. Her voice is the real draw here, and when the writing matches it, the results are strong. When the writing falls short, the record loses focus. It’s a promising start from a young artist who clearly had something to say, even when she didn’t always know how to say it.
- Darling Boy5:52
- Differences and Affairs (Have Fun in Ohio)3:19
- Red Randed Aesthetic Attractions3:44
- Common Ground for a Wallflower5:37
- Cougar Street5:34
- Hitched a Ride4:17
- The Buffalo and the Bird6:38
- A Seventh Son2:52
- Tucson on a Tuesday2:17
- Lullaby Kid3:22
- One Nighters and Songs4:09
- Painters Hands4:56
- Oh, the Blue6:09
- My Poetry4:39
