Last month I discovered new-to-me diva Bonner Black when she opened for The Unlady Like Tour show at the club Heaven Can Wait in New York City. It was a showcase of four female singer/songwriters, put together by one of my favorites, Twinnie. I liked Bonner’s sound because it was country with a little pop, while her relatable lyrics and siren vocals drew me in.
I expected more of the same when her new album Hopeless romANTICS dropped, but I was in for a surprise. Sure, there’s a few country heavy tracks (“You Complete The Sentence” “Either Way” “What Goes Up”) but the majority of the album is pop. Not only is it pop, but Bonner’s sound is the purely unapologetic pop that I love best. Dreamy sway-worthy ballads like “Catch 22” and “17” with it’s perky guitar-strumming head nodding beat. “Love Looks (Never Going Back)” is the most unexpected track on the album, in my gay opinion, because I never saw this old-school 70’s inspired jam coming.
I love when an album makes me want to turn my radio up while I seat-dance in my car. Hopeless romANTICS delivers all that and more. At stop lights I’m throwing my hands up and belting along “But I’ve got two of your shirts and a master plan / Left my gold hoops laying on your night stand / My friends roll their eyes when I bring you up again / I’m not your girl, but you’re my man”.
After seeing Bonner solo with just her guitar, I know how talented she is. However, to celebrate the release of her new album, she did a show in Nashville with a full band. Now I just have to hope there might be some tour plans in her future because that’s a show I’d want to see.
