If you’ve never second-guessed country music, you certainly shouldn’t second-guess Ashley Cooke. Ace begins with “gettin’ old”, a song that starts with the image of holding a grandmother’s hand as she passes. It’s a stark, tender opener — raw, sad, and heavy with the weight of time. But even more surprising is the sound. This record is produced by Dan Huff, from the hard-rock band Giant — a group I absolutely loved in the late 80s and early 90s — and his influence can be heard throughout these nine songs in subtle but unmistakable ways.
After that emotional punch, the next two songs take a very different turn. “baby blues” drips with lust and warmth, while “the f word” isn’t the expletive you think it is. It’s about dropping your guard, letting love in, and allowing yourself to say the one word more terrifying than any swear: “forever.”
That said, vulnerability is the defining thread of the record. This is pop-leaning country used as catharsis. “talk about” and “the hell you are” hint at saying absolutely anything except what you really want to. There’s even a little fiddle sneaking into the mix at points — a clever touch. “swear words” is another smart one, dancing around emotion rather than naming it outright.
But Ace isn’t just tear-in-the-beer confessionals. “excuses” leans far more rock ’n’ roll — heartbreak framed in overthinking, self-sabotage, and that sting of knowing you’ll probably do it again. It’s instantly relatable for anyone who has ever spiralled in their own head.
Then comes “tin foil hat – panic attack version”, which lays out insecurities with startling clarity. The rush and maelstrom of the chorus only amplify what she’s trying to say — a swirl of fear, tension, and release that hits in all the right places.
The final moments land with “(my worst fear)”, where she talks about looking out at a sold-out crowd while still feeling lonely. There’s even a nod — fleeting but heartfelt — to the fear of never truly being seen by the people who matter.
Across nine songs, Ashley Cooke turns anxiety, love, self-doubt, heartbreak, and fleeting joy into something that genuinely connects. These tracks will speak loudest to the overthinkers, the worriers, the lovers, and the ones who are trying to hold it all together.
Whatever these nine songs are, they are, quite literally, “ace.”
Rating 8/10
