Artist:     Lauren Anderson

Album:     Won’t Stay Down

Label:     Self Released

Release Date:     7.26.2019

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Singer and songwriter Lauren Anderson grew up in Chicago and now resides in Nashville, where she’s a regular performer at the Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar. Anderson’s 2017 EP The Game spent five weeks on the Billboard Blues chart. Her new EP Won’t Stay Down is a collection of hard-hitting blues rock that contains just the right amount of airplay-friendly polish. Anderson is an extremely dynamic vocalist—she can go from a delicate purr to a full throated Janis Joplin style growl in a heartbeat. Her self-penned lyrics are the perfect showcase for her powerhouse vocal chops.

On “Honey, Call Me Baby,” Anderson’s high octane vocals and bold, sassy persona grab the listener’s attention right out of the gate. Chugging guitar riffs from Jimi Greene and gritty organ work by Willie Adkins keep the energy level high. The hard rocking “Won’t Stay Down” further establishes Anderson’s tough, independent spirit. Her voice roars like a V-8 engine in overdrive, and when she sings, “Bring me down/I won’t stay down” the listener knows she’s not kidding. The tempo slows on “Too Little, Too Late.” This tale of love lost contains the perfect mix of sadness and defiance, and Anderson bares her soul on the vocals. “Wild and Free” sounds like a track designed to bring down the house when performed on stage. Anderson’s lyrics celebrate the great American ideal of freedom and marching to your own drummer. Deft keyboard work from Adkins and Greene’s rousing guitar solo give the track an anthemic feel.

Clocking in at just over 16 minutes, Won’t Stay Down gives listeners a small sample of Anderson’s talent. With her gale force vocals and irrepressible spirit, Anderson has the makings of a star.

—Jon Kleinman