Lindi Ortega- Little Red Boots

Lindi Ortega’s Little Red Boots comes as a bit of a surprise. It is a bit of a leap to say that a young, female, Canadian singer sounds like Johnny Cash, but that is the first comparison that comes to mind, especially on country-rockers such as “I’m No Elvis Presley”. Ortega plays a brand of acoustic rock that draws heavily from Nashville circa 1950-1970, and it comes as a welcome alternative to modern pop-country.

From the moment the album begins, Lindi’s abundance of personality is on display. The album’s title comes from her signature cowboy boots, which she began wearing on a tour with Kevin Costner. The title track makes it clear that these boots are her calling card, the iconic piece of her image that will make her unforgettable. The song tells her story as a traveling musician- nameless and not especially famous- yet making an impact on everywhere she goes thanks to her little red boots and ruby red lips.

The songs on Little Red Boots all tell these types of classic country stories, but with a swagger and humor that is rarely seen. Even with song titles like “Dying of Another Broken Heart”, Ortega is never bogged down with melodrama or plodding tempos. Instead, every track has a peculiar optimism that is present even in the lowest moments of sadness and losing love.

This is thanks in large part to Ortega’s lyrics, which are well-constructed and extremely clever. “All My Friends” in particular stands out with its humorous references to her friends “Mary Jane” and “Jack”, and the chorus announcing “all my friends are going to kill me dead”. The song fits perfectly alongside Hank Williams Jr.’s “O.D.’d in Denver” in the “upbeat song about the lows of drug and alcohol use” genre that has been tragically absent from the modern country landscape.
Little Red Boots showcases Lindi Ortega at her best. The 40-minute album presents twelve tracks that are diverse in feel and subject matter, while still fitting together as a cohesive whole. The level of confidence and songwriting ability on display is quite remarkable, especially considering it is the first album Ortega released on a major label. If it is any indication, she is well on her way to being a force to be reckoned with.