Maren Morris - Humble Quest

Country superstar Maren Morris invokes celebratory spirit on Humble Quest

The third album by the hitmaker of "The Bones" and "The Middle"

Maren Morris ("The Bones") began recording Humble Quest, her third album, a few months after giving birth to her son, Hayes, right before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down. Humble Quest is proof of process, a record of how vulnerable the Grammy-winner felt while she navigated this transformative period.

"There were a lot of firsts with this record: I was grieving my friend (the late pop-country producer Busbee), and I was grieving my loss of purpose with touring being taken away for so long, and I was also dealing with postpartum depression, and the incandescent joy that comes with new parenthood and being obsessed with your baby.

"I was like, I just have to get this out. I think this is why it's such a beautiful chapter for me. I'm not trying to prove anything," says Morris, 31. "I feel like a grown-ass woman on this record, but it's also not trying too hard."

Anchored by the contagious lead single "Circles Around This Town," Humble Quest showcases Morris' soulful brand of pop country, which has earned her success and respect far beyond the confines of country music. "Nervous," a gutsy rocker about a secretive romance, takes cues from '90s alt, like Sheryl Crow, while the title track, which grapples with the complexity of pursuing success while still trying to remain a good person, flirts with arena rock.

Morris' stint as part of supergroup The Highwomen is evident, too, with harmony vocals and clever plays on words galore on tracks like twangy earworm "I Can't Love You Anymore" and the sweet, simple "Hummingbird." Humble Quest finds the intersection between the country soul of Morris' CMA Award-winning GIRL and the more expansive pop of her 2016 debut, Hero, to endlessly listenable results.

Side A

1. Circles Around This Town

2. The Furthest Thing

3. I Can't Love You Anymore

4. Humble Quest

5. Background Music

6. Nervous

Side B

1. Tall Guys

2. Detour

3. Hummingbird

4. Good Friends

5. What Would This World Do?

Be the first to write a review for this item OR just rate it