Kathleen Edwards Billionaire
Kathleen Edwards's Billionaire returns the songwriter to a conversational, character-driven Americana that critics find both familiar and newly mature. Across professional reviews, the record earned a 72.67/100 consensus score from three reviews, with reviewers repeatedly pointing to a strengthened vocal presence and Jason Isbell's incisive guitar contributions as framing devices for its best moments. Critics consistently praise standout tracks like “Billionaire”, “Little Pink Door”, “Little Red Ranger” and “FLA” as the songs that crystallize the album's emotional reach and melodic hooks.
The critical consensus highlights recurring themes of relationships and breakups, loss and remembrance, and wealth used as metaphor, often set against attentive observational storytelling. Glide Magazine celebrates the reunion energy in opener “Save Your Soul” and the rocking urgency of “I Need a Ride”, noting vivid lyrics and Isbell's guitar; Pitchfork emphasizes Edwards's vocal maturity, calling the title track almost hymnal while admiring how “FLA” curves toward nostalgia. Reviewers agree that production clarity and Isbell's collaboration sharpen the arrangements, even as some songs rely on broader symbolism rather than the granular detail of her best songwriting.
Taken together, the reviews present Billionaire as a largely rewarding return that balances nostalgia and new vocal power with occasional lapses into sweeping statements; critics praised several standout tracks enough to recommend exploring the record further, while noting the album's blend of personal losses, political undertones, and character portraits situates it firmly within Edwards's Americana roots. Below, the full reviews unpack where the album's strengths and limits lie within her catalog.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Billionaire
2 mentions
"The soundscape shifts... in the title track, which is simply a love song"— Glide Magazine
I Need a Ride
1 mention
""I Need a Ride" rocks hard with Edwards and Isbell on the electrics"— Glide Magazine
Little Pink Door
2 mentions
"the standout "Little Pink Door", taken in one take only"— Glide Magazine
The soundscape shifts... in the title track, which is simply a love song
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Save Your Soul
Say Goodbye, Tell No One
Little Red Ranger
When The Truth Comes Out
Billionaire
Need A Ride
Little Pink Door
FLA
Other People’s Bands
Pine
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 4 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
In his warm, conversational appraisal Jim Hynes returns to the pleasures of Kathleen Edwards and singles out the best songs on Billionaire with clear affection. He praises the heavily strummed opener “Save Your Soul” and the rocking urgency of “I Need a Ride” while calling out the standout intimacy of “Little Pink Door” - each highlighted for vivid lyrics, strong vocals, and incisive guitar work by Jason Isbell. Hynes writes in a measured, anecdotal register, noting how the album reconnects Edwards to her early strengths and how these tracks exemplify her storytelling, lyrical acuity, and hook sense. The result reads like a reunion: the Kathleen Edwards we loved is back, with songs that merit being called the best tracks on Billionaire because they balance wit, bite, and melodic reward.
Key Points
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The best song, "Little Pink Door", is the album’s emotional center for its one-take intimacy and roaring guitar.
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The album’s core strengths are Edwards’ vivid storytelling, strong vocals, and the energized interplay with Jason Isbell.
Themes
Key Points
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valuing experience over money
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loss and remembrance
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attentive observation
Themes
Critic's Take
On Billionaire, Kathleen Edwards leans into a newly poised vocal power that makes the best tracks - especially “Billionaire” and “Little Red Ranger” - feel like revelations. Amanda Wicks writes with clear pleasure at how Edwards’s voice "curves toward nostalgia" on “FLA”, and how the title track becomes an almost hymnal reflection on loss, the arrangements nudging her toward catharsis. The record sometimes falters when songs like “Save Your Soul” and “Need a Ride” settle for broad symbolism over the lived detail that once made her songwriting sing. Still, with Jason Isbell’s guitar widening trajectories and a voice that now carries magnetism, the best songs on Billionaire stand out as the album’s emotional centerpieces.
Key Points
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The title track is best for its atmospheric, hymnal arrangement and cathartic vocal performance.
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The album's core strengths are Edwards’s matured vocals, nostalgic storytelling, and Jason Isbell’s widening guitar arrangements.