Madrid-born songstress Juana Everett spent almost a decade living between the West Coast and Nashville. Her second record is a personal ode to California.
Rather than venturing a rose-tinted perspective on the Golden State, the eleven tracks document how myths measure up to ‘real life’ as she changed homes and jobs frequently and encountered many different characters. As she openly admits, “a few existential crises shaped the artist she is today.”
Everett’s roots are most obvious in Dondo Todo Se Queda, the only song sung in Spanish.
Crossing paths with guitarist, producer and fellow Spaniard Alex Muñoz proved foundational to this record, The collaboration eventually led to them recording in the iconic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
The music exudes a sassy charm and quiet determination; “never underestimate the power of a woman” she sings defiantly on the twangy One Million Dollars . At the same time, her sweetly melodic voice lacks the grittiness or urgency that might have made the tunes darker and more memorable.
For this reason, the album can be summed up as a slick, yet slightly saccharine, slice of appropriated Americana.
