Country newcomer Rachel Farley shows off a powerful voice and more attitude than any parent would want from their 17-year-old in her debut single 'Ain't Easy.' The mix works well coming from radio speakers, and the Georgia teen proves she's an artist to keep an eye on. 

Much like an iceberg, there's a sense that we're only seeing a small portion of something much bigger. Farley's career was helped along by Brantley Gilbert, and the song works a familiar outlaw storyline involving guns and illegal booze. It's short of convincing when she sings, "My granddaddy ran moonshine til the day he died / Left behind his children and a .45," but that could be because we don't know her yet.

Farley has lived through a few experiences one hopes to avoid until well into adulthood, including the death of her father from cancer just two years ago. She teases fans on her Facebook page by talking about a song she wrote for him. That promises to be a more revealing look than 'Ain't Easy,' a cut that doesn't quite separate itself from the pack.

"I don't belong in one place too long / I gotta keep movin' / You can come along / Well if you don't mind baby hold on tight," Farley sings during the second verse. "Cause this life I'm living is one crazy ride / I'm a daughter of southern ground / It's who I am and I won't slow down."

Farley stands out for a voice that is deeper than most, but the produced single doesn't match her vocal ability. One craves a lyric that's equally defining.

The chorus goes:

"Fight like hell, love like an angel / Pray like a saint and run like a rebel / Live each day like there's no tomorrow / Speak my mind and act like a lady / Always be my mama's baby / And you can't ever tell me nothin' / Loving a girl like me, ain't easy." 

'Ain't Easy' will no doubt work as a live anthem, and the producer captures that essence from the very first notes. It takes a few listens to get used to the organ that hums from start to finish, but what at first seems like an odd decision adds some grit to her performance. Some fine-tuning could result in a style that is 100 percent original. We're looking forward to it.

3 Stars
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Listen to Rachel Farley, 'Ain't Easy'

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