MAE ESTES - Gettin' Back Up To Heaven - Big Machine Records
Mae Estes achieved monumental accolades as an independent artist through her refreshing honesty and classic country aura, making numerous appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, notching high praise for her debut EP Before The Record, and earning substantial streams and solid placement on CMT with “Thinkin’ Bout Cheatin’.”
Now signed with Big Machine Records, the same refreshing honesty that made her such an indie darling has absolutely transferred into her next chapter as evident by last month’s honky-tonk branded, autobiographical single, “What I Shoulda Done.”
She now offers the next look at her fresh new chapter with “Gettin’ Back Up To Heaven.”
The song, written by Mae, Paul Sikes ,and Justin Wilson, leans an overtone of moodiness into the Appalachian flavored banjo pluck to allow Estes to tilt her voice into a mysterious edge as she unpacks a tale of revenge.
Describing the personality traits of the main female character throughout the opening verse, we learn that she grew up in the front pew of church, her mom was in the choir, and her dad was the preacher… a Norman Rockwell vision of the perfect family.
However, creative written Biblically referenced lines help set up the conflict as she compares the heartbreaking man who came into the picture and broke her in half to the devil himself, landing at the prayer-filled chorus:
“Lord, forgive me for what I’m about to do
It ain’t Christian but this one ain’t on you
Well, I’ve been sleeping with the well-known heathen
But I sure could use your help
Gettin’ back up to heaven when I drop him off in hell”
Utilizing the second verse to further advance the story, and to perfectly encompass the now burning anger that’s continuing to fan out of control, our main character stamps down her foot when she refuses to let go of what he did to her and takes matters into her own hands; “It’s an eye for an eye and I can’t turn the other cheek.”
Without giving away too much of the ending (you’ll just have to hit play below and take a listen for yourself) there’s closure in the redemptive moment reached that finds complete comfort in the sin.
Pulling elements of bluegrass into her classic country ideals, “Gettin’ Back Up To Heaven” provides a stunning definition of who Mae Estes is as a songwriter and vocalist while her transparent, non-compromising honesty is quickly becoming the signature definition to elevating her career one next song at a time.
(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis/Artwork c/o Big Machine Records)