Sonia Leigh, ‘Bar’ – Song Review

Sonia Leigh's new song 'Bar' is rowdy, loud, petulant and everything a Nashville woman isn't "supposed" to be. Which is to say it's the sort of song that will earn the country newcomer on Zac Brown's Southern Ground label a lot of fans.

The three-and-a-half minute boozy, bar room anthem begins and ends with a chaos recognizable to anyone who's drowned sorrows in a pint, fifth or (call 911) more. In between shots, shouts and hollers, Leigh introduces herself with help from Brown.

"Well I've always had this black streak up my back / And the night time plays a song I like to sing / So if you don't like the way I've been runnin' my shop / Well my friends don't seem to mind my company," she sings in the second verse.

It doesn't take long for that black streak to show up on the '1978 December' album, an album full of songs like 'Bar' that are difficult relate to. There's a chip on this singer's shoulder that effects every lyric and strum of her guitar. To some it will be a galvanizing reason to pick up a copy or buy a concert ticket. Others will will find it exhausting.

"Pass the bottle I'm jumping off this wagon / Well it never seemed to get me very far / You can say what you will but I'm drinking 'til I get my fill / So if you're lookin' darlin' I'll be at the bar," Leigh adds during the chorus.

One really has to stretch their memory to find a similar song sang by a female country artist. Gretchen Wilson may be the most recent example, but even her brand of outlaw came wrapped in emotion. Leigh's lyrics come steeped in apathy, which makes for an uncomfortable listen.

Listen to Sonia Leigh's 'Bar'