“Of Love and Loss” by B.B. Cole

B.B. Cole is not the first artist to dig into the tension between country’s roots and the wider world. However, her sophomore album, Of Love and Loss, reframes those elements with a contemporary approach. Born from Austria’s overlooked but quietly burgeoning Americana scene, Cole blends the twang of pedal steel and mandolin with touches of soul, gospel, and folk music conceits. The result is a record that feels simultaneously familiar and surprising.

If her 2022 debut, Outgrowing Ourselves, hinted at her ability to mine the introspective storytelling of country greats, Of Love and Loss pushes that ambition further. The album’s opener, “(The Tale of) Lady Primrose,” sets the tone with a raucous duet featuring producer Marc Miner.  Cole’s honeyed yet sturdy voice anchors the song while Miner’s gritty delivery offers a sharp foil. It’s a strong opener that captures Of Love and Loss‘ overarching duality: beauty shadowed by darkness.

The album’s pre-release singles highlighted Cole’s ability to tackle heavy themes with a skilled hand. Though “Poor Beatrice” recounts a tragic tale for listeners, a buoyant arrangement of banjo and guitars masks the story’s weight, the contrast underscoring the absurdity of her unjust fate.

“A Stolen Heart,” meanwhile, flips the mood entirely. A mournful ballad about a childhood love gone awry, the song leans into lush string arrangements and a vocal performance brimming with quiet vulnerability. Cole’s delivery here is unhurried, almost conversational, as she reflects on a relationship that shaped her artistry but left her emotionally scarred.

One of the album’s strengths is its wont for stylistic turns. Tracks like “She’s Not Gonna Do It” dip into more far-flung influences, complete with jangly guitars and infectious rhythms that evoke landscapes far removed from Cole’s Austrian roots. The closer “Coffee Eyes” channels smoky late-night cafes with its understated swing. It’s a fitting finale to an album that thrives on defying expectations.

Cole’s collaborators deserve credit for shaping the album’s rich, layered sound. Marc Miner not only co-writes and produces but lends his gravelly voice and Americana sensibilities to multiple tracks, giving the record its rough edges. Pop singer Lorae’s appearance on “Over Before It Started” brings a dose of modern pop melancholia, yet retains the authenticity defining the release as a whole.

While Of Love and Loss showcases B.B. Cole’s artistic growth, it isn’t without its flaws. Some tracks, like “Wave of Love” and “The Sun Song,” feel slightly underdeveloped compared to the album’s high points. Their polished production occasionally edges too close to generic, losing the intimate, lived-in quality that makes the rest of the record compelling.

Of Love and Loss feels like an evolution for B.B. Cole, one that hints at even greater potential. It’s an album that embraces risk, balancing traditional country with global influences and deeply personal themes. While it doesn’t always stick the landing, its highs far outweigh its lows. It makes Cole a voice worth listening for in both Americana and beyond. For an artist building bridges between genres and continents, this is a step in a promising direction.

Nicole Killian