As someone who grew up with a dad who exclusively listened to Y2Kountry radio (though at the time it actually was the 2000s), I’ve never been especially inclined to seek out new country artists. I tend to gravitate toward the likes of Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, and early Taylor Swift — musically, at least. Because country music reminds me so strongly of my childhood and summers in Tennessee, I’ve rarely ventured beyond that sense of nostalgia. Megan Moroney is the artist who finally broke that mold for me.
“Tennessee Orange” is the song that first introduced me to Megan Moroney, and I was immediately hooked. Her second album, Am I Okay?, is one of my favorite albums across all music genres. That released my senior year of high school, so now I have country music to associate with another major part of my life, which I think is another big reason I am such a fan of hers.
Cloud 9 is Megan Moroney’s third studio album, and after the immense success of her earlier releases, it’s clearly being held to a high standard. I’ve seen some mixed reviews, but musically, I genuinely enjoy the album. After a few listens, I’ve developed more nuanced thoughts, but overall, I think Moroney successfully expands her discography while staying true to her earlier songwriting.
The clear standout for me was “Liars & Tigers & Bears,” a clever play on the iconic line from The Wizard of Oz. Beyond the title alone, I was drawn to the song’s perspective on women navigating the unspoken rules of the world. That lens is one of the main reasons I gravitate toward Megan Moroney’s music: her thoughtful, often sharp reflections on womanhood. As much as I adore the 2000s country soundtrack of my childhood, much of it rarely passes the Bechdel test. I’ll always appreciate a classic country love song, but there’s something especially refreshing about hearing stories that expand beyond romance and offer a different kind of insight.
Melodically, it sort of reminded me of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Lie to Girls,” which leads me to my main critique of the album, though not a major one by any means. I think this album is a bit more “pop-y” at moments than I always like when listening to country. That’s kind of just her style, though, and I definitely have some country music I like that leans more towards pop (like the Rascal Flatts, for example).
On that note, this may be more of an unpopular opinion, but I think “I Only Miss You” would have worked better without Ed Sheeran. I think he’s a great artist, but I think I would have preferred to see a more “classic” country artist as the collaboration instead.
Aesthetically, I really enjoyed the pink theme of the album, and I love how much Moroney embraces all of her girliness. I thought it worked great with the album as a whole.
“Cloud 9,” ironically, is one of my least liked songs from the album. I think the middle of the album is the strongest, from “6 Months Later” to “Table for Two,” maybe minus “Bells & Whistles.” I guess I just wasn’t a huge fan of the features on Cloud 9. I think that musically it’s very catchy, but I don’t love the whole “she’s me but simple” message, though I completely understand the sentiment. It just didn’t resonate with me as much.
Overall, I thought it was a strong, solid third album, and I have loved watching Megan Moroney start to change the country music game. I think it’s super true to her and her brand, and I commend that greatly.