I’ve just finished listening to Mind of Mine by country artist Lisa Wright. And what an EP it is. Four tracks, four beautifully written songs. Never mind Taylor Swift on the BBC. This is where you want to be. It is a quarter of an hour of pure class. Lead single Tennessee has been widely lauded on social media, and rightly so. It is a quintessential country music track, complete with pedal steel guitar, on which Wright heavily evokes the voice of Ashley Monroe. Never Gonna Fall only emphasises the same elegantly wistful sound of the Pistol Annies singer, a comparison which I hope is taken as the highest compliment. The title track takes on a much more reflective mood than these first two offerings. With a distinct blues tone, it is also the most emotional and vulnerable of Wright’s songs. With mentions of regret, fear and worry, it is a tale that I could most certainly relate to. Before dealing with my own anxiety and depression, I totally sought “redemption in a bottle of wine” from this “mind of mine that consumes me all of the time”. It is a pertinent, honest, and beautifully crafted song. It gives words to the often silent struggle with mental health. Such is the atmosphere that Wright creates on this third track that Giving Up the Ghost, recorded in an even more stripped back style, is positively haunting. The harmonious tones of Wright’s soulful vocals cause you to hang on every line. With a melancholic undertone that is delicately touched by a hopeful chorus line, this is a superb end to this most gorgeous of EPs. Having featured anonymously within the pages of the last two issues of Country Music magazine, I have a feeling that it won’t be long before Lisa Wright gets the recognition she deserves. Mind of Mine is surely one of the top UK country releases of 2018.