#6 in the Studio: Dearly Beloved

Daughtry released their sixth studio album on September 17th, 2021 titled Dearly Beloved. Overall I was not dissatisfied, but this does not stand on the same level as their work in their prime. This album I consider to be on the same level as Cage to Rattle in the sense that the band has adapted to the sound of modern rock, but all of the songs sound very similar and don’t amount to anything extraordinary. That being said, I do enjoy the album and songs within it.

One of my favorite aspects of this album is how it touches on very personal, emotional topics. Anything from everyone needing someone to love, victimizing, hurting just to feel something, or growing from your past. No matter what you’re going through, this album has a song to make you feel. The strongest emotion this album conveys, however, is that of feeling powerful.

One song that I feel deserves an honorable mention is Lioness. This is one of the best singles I have heard in the past five years of modern rock. My reason being that this song, to me, is about a woman coming out of a relationship and improving herself to the point that it scares the other person. Because the woman took the time to heal and strengthen herself, the other person is very intimidated.

The chorus says, “And I saw you change into a lioness, a beast in the wild, unbridled, I could see it in your eyes, you could've eaten me alive just to show me you could.” That chorus gives me an overwhelming sense of power because typically in a heterosexual relationship, the man does not realize the true power a woman holds until they see the anger and pain in their eyes. As a woman, it’s a constant struggle to prove yourself and this song proves that we are being seen for the strong beings we are. Not to mention, the vocals are extraordinary. Some of my favorite songs start out very soft spoken, then elevate to 100% and that is what this song does.

However, Lioness doesn’t necessarily come close to the songs in their prime such as September, No Surprise, or Feels Like Tonight. As much as I love Daughtry and their music, every band hits a point in their career where they just won’t be the same as they were. That’s not to say they aren’t a good band and should stop while they’re ahead, but it does make me appreciate their older music a bit more.