Trashy Annie Releases Her Rompin’ And Stompin’ Debut Album ‘Sticks And Stones’

While the country genre and rock genre may seem like polar opposites as the positive and negative sides of magnets that you tried to force together as a kid, Trashy Annie smoothly blends the gritty, heart-thumpingly thrilling instrumental aspects of rock and roll with the personal fabulistic lyrical message delivery elements of country music in ‘Sticks & Stones.’ The album possesses an equal mix of energetic foot tap worthy songs and slower solemn sounding songs that, as a whole, delivers Annie’s lyrical message of remaining true to yourself, being proud of the person you are, and letting other people’s negative comments not affect your happiness.

The album starts with the song and first single released for the album, “Knock Knock.” The song starts with a distorted upward count leading up to the beginning of the vehement song. Instantly from the beginning, the song possesses a hypnotizing drum beat that’s nearly impossible not to tap your fingers to, and a sheerly sophisticated guitar solo and riffs, as well as the inclusion of a delicate yet impactful tambourine that instrumentally carries the message of Annie’s lyrics as she sings about the struggles of intrusive thoughts, or as she calls it “Head Trash.” With lyrics like

“I’m waking up / That’s what they said / I saw a monster crawling underneath my bed / I’m breaking down / I’m seeing red / I’m hiding out from all voices in my head.” And “They’re gonna knock, knock, knock / Don’t let ‘em in / Let ‘em knock, knock, knock / Let ‘em rattle every lock / Let ‘em knock, knock knock / Don’t let ‘em in.”

The album continues to carry the stimulatingly energetic vibe of the opening track into the following gleeful track, “Born Pretty,” which Annie has spoken about being written after some judgmental and unkind comments about her aesthetic and wardrobe were left on her first music video. “Born Pretty” carries the message of learning to accept and love every part of yourself despite what others may think with lyrics like

“I guess I got lucky I was born this pretty / Born pretty like a sunny summer day / Born pretty, and I’ll take your breath away / Born pretty, you better lay your money down, ‘cause this kinda pretty’s gonna run this town.”

The album strips itself down to a slower, more intimate, and vulnerable-sounding atmosphere with tracks like “The Leavin’ Kind.” Which harnesses a more fragile, elegantly transcending sound with graceful orchestral elements accompanied by a denuded-sounding acoustic guitar paired with the sincere, reassuring soft vocals from Annie to touch your unprotected, emotional soul. The album ends with the tracks “Juliet” and “Last Song.” “Juliet” has a fun, soulful country Sound about it with an easy-to-sing-along chorus. The final song on the album ‘Last Song,” brings back many of the raw and sincere elements that “The Leavin’ Kind” introduced. As a whole, the song delicately brings closure to the openly honest, lively, uplifting album. ‘Sticks & Stones’ harnesses the contrasting elements of the rock and country genre and produces an unapologetic, empoweringly suave country-rock experience.

The creativity of Trashy Annie doesn’t stop at her music; she has recorded and edited all of her music videos for this album, and when creating an album cover for the record, she made a rebellious collage of all the hate comments she’s received regarding her career. She paired it with a giant glittery middle finger to symbolize what her album already told us, which is she’s going to continue being her authentic spunky self and continue to create and release her music no matter what anybody else has to say about it.