Marlee Scott – Beautiful Maybe (CD Single Review)
Label – 2011 Big Ride Records
Release Date – 28 June 2011
Writers – Marcus Hummon, Tia Sillers, Tania Hancheroff
Time – 3:13
Rating (Out of 10): 9/10
Introduction to: Marlee Scott was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario. When aged six the Scott family moved to St. Albert, Alberta. Her mother enrolled her for music lessons to learn the flute. One of Marlee’s childhood music teachers recalls: “When it came time for her first lesson I asked her, ‘So, you want to play the flute?’ She smiled at me and pointed to a pink electric guitar that I had in the corner and said, ‘No, I want to play that.'”. Marlee would spend her childhood and early teenage years learning guitar and taking vocal lessons. As a teenager she listened and was influenced by the pop music of the day. At 16 she got switched onto country after hearing Alabama’s ‘Mountain Music’ on a radio station.
Scott moved to Nashville in the summer of 2007 and living in a condo has spent 4 years living the dream. Whilst writing material for an album project she drew the attention of veteran industry executive Gerry Leiske. His career in artist management began with the award-winning Canadian group Farmer’s Daughter and then onto success with Emerson Drive, a band who Marlee went on a 20-date cross-Canada tour with.
“By the time I recorded my second album, I had grown up a lot,” Marlee reveals. “I had experienced love and heartbreak; I moved to Nashville, away from my family and friends and made a new life for myself in Music City. I was so much more comfortable in the studio at that point, and I think you could hear a new maturity in my music.” Scott’s’ self titled album earned her a coveted nomination in the Rising Star Award category at the 2010 Canadian Country Music Awards. Her song “Here To Heaven” has gained her some international success going Top 20 in Australia and Canada and topped the Hotdisc Charts in Europe during January 2011 (see chart) The now 25 year old Canadian pop-country singer has signed to Leiske’s BigRide Records and her new single ‘Beautiful Maybe’ was released to country radio as her first US single and she is being heavily promoted across Europe. In August the single just fell short of topping the Hotdisc chart once more when peaking at #2.
About the single ‘Beautiful Maybe’ – The song was co-written by top chart-topping Nashville songwriters Marcus Hummon (Rascal Flatts, Dixie Chicks, and Tim McGraw) with CMA winner Tia Sillers (Dixie Chicks, ‘I Hope You Dance’ Lee Ann Womack) along with much sort after Canadian demo and background singer Tania Hancheroff. Together this song writing trio wrote “Around The Bend” which was the lead off and title cut of Randy Travis’ 2008 album.
With its glossy pop-country quick tempo production the song champions hopes and dream in a world where anything its possible. I love the way with sweet phrasing Marlee accentuates the word “maybe”.
In the first verse we witness a young boy imagining he can take to the skies:
“I see a little boy standing on his front porch, Wearing a superman cape, Hands on his hips, eyes on the sky
You can see it all over his face”
You can see it all over his face”
That boy has grown to become a young man in search of love as Scott sings:
I see that boy growing up into the world, Reaching for somebody’s hand, Promising love through the dark and the light, Staying strong and true to the end
Happiness and fulfilment hinge on hope but thrive on dreams and love wins through. Years later we witness an old man laying white roses at a grave who when sending out a prayer beyond the beautiful blue horizon senses that “he’s not alone”
Yes idealistic and naïve but ‘Beautiful Maybe’ with its sing-along hooks, crisp production and feel-good vibes leads us believe that everything is possible if we dream big. Why? Because the songs premise is that “It’s a beautiful maybe you know you gotta try”
One gets the feeling that this joyful upbeat number reflects Miss Scott’s light-hearted personality. Fans who lean towards songs like “This Kiss” and “Sunshine and Summertime” by Faith Hill could easily gravitate towards this track. If it’s not tasty enough for you then maybe you’d like to sample one of Marlee’s famous “Marls Bars”. The rising star beauty often cooks her favourite chocolate delights for radio station promo visits to not only win them over with her music but also her cookery skills too. She shares the recipe with fans on her “In The Kitchen2 Video – here . The lovely songstress also has an obsession, she loves peanut butter!
Well my guilty pleasure this summer has been enjoying the delights on this joyful single.
Livewire (21 Sept 2011)