With the debut of Jelly Roll’s first country album “Whitsitt Chapel,” it was easy to understand how this man bottled lightning. His heartfelt lyrics and knack for storytelling fit perfectly into his newly chosen genre, while also giving the country music scene a breath of fresh air and more than a couple of face tattoos. The real testament to this man’s talents would be if he could pull it off more than once, with “Beautifully Broken (Pickin’ Up the Pieces)” it is safe to say that Jelly Roll is here to stay.
While Whitsitt Chapel’s theme centered on taking the first few steps out of rock bottom, Beautifully Broken (Pickin’ Up the Pieces) focuses on a continued upward momentum of accepting your faults and using the shattered pieces of your old self to build a new identity.
“Winning Streak” opens the album in a church basement as the singer joins his first meeting at Alcoholics Anonymous. The thoughts and questions running through this man’s head while he waits to introduce himself can’t be that far from any other addict’s mind when they first sit down in a similar chair.
Very few lyrics these days hit as hard as these, “I haven’t touched a drop in seven hours and three minutes. Hardly sobered up. I really want to quit quitting.”
As the story unfolds, we learn of another man who is 20 years sober and his wise words, “Everybody here has felt the same defeat. Nobody walks through these doors on a winning streak.”
We all lose, hit rock bottom, and need a hand-up at some point. There is no shame in getting help, but next time, make sure you are the one with their hand reaching down towards another individual in the same spot you were in earlier.
“Heart of Stone” is a cry to God out of desperation. After years of abuse and self-hatred, the singer sees his sins for what they are and how hardened his heart has become.
The more hurt we are, the more we hurt other people. Mixing these feelings with alcohol, pills, or whatever your vice, creates a numbing sensation within your soul — keeping us immune to any outside forces.
The hardest part of this situation is that we don’t see it until it is too late. By then we already have broken relationships and a shattered family.
The only way to cure it is to reach out to something greater than ourselves for strength. A heart of stone can become a heart of gold, but only if we choose our next steps wisely.
“I Am Not Okay” plays like an anthem for the oppressed, depressed, and the broken.
Here, Jelly Roll admits that not everything is peachy keen for him at the moment. Sometimes he says everything is going great while lying through his teeth.
The comfort in the song comes from the realization that the country music star is not alone in these emotions. We all struggle and get depressed. Our demons can get the best of us when we try to go it alone.
Knowing there are other people with similar strife can bring us out of the darkness and into a family of like-minded individuals. We don’t have to share blood to be related.
British American songwriter, Ilsey Juber, joins Jelly Roll on “When The Drugs Don’t Work”.
The two duet about coming to the end of an addiction. It takes many highs and lows before reaching a breaking point. Many people leave before you hit your lowest, and you need to ask yourself who will be left to drive you home at the end of the night.
The soul hits deep when Jelly Roll plunges into “Liar.”
Little voices in our heads tell us the most twisted of truths and straight-up lies. At the depths of our darkest nights, we believe that the next drink will bring us happiness or that a little pill will bring us everlasting ecstasy. The singer has no shame in calling out these flabbergasting fables, telling his audience (as much as himself) that this is downright deceit created to keep us from true freedom.
“Unpretty” slows things down quite a bit as the singer approaches the idea of self-hatred.
The truth is, we all have a past that is difficult to be proud of. We’ve all lied and cheated to gain something in life, whether it is acceptance, fortune, or credibility.
Looking back at those wicked moments, it is easy to be disgusted by our behavior. But if we resist burying ourselves in the past, we can move forward with clarity, embracing who we once were and rebuilding from all those broken pieces.
We find love in the heart of darkness. And we find hope when the times are the hardest. We’re just twisted minds and wanted signs. We’re broken just the same. When my devil meets your demons, we can find a little grace.
One definition of grace is courteous goodwill. With the song “Grace,” Jelly Roll seems to agree.
Oftentimes, we feel at odds with everyone around us. We judge other’s motives and decisions without knowing much about them. It is our human habit to jump to conclusions.
If we take the time to truly understand people and find out what shapes them, things begin to make a little more sense. That woman pushes people away because she was abused, and that man is an alcoholic so he doesn’t have to remember what he witnessed when he was way too young. They may not want to be the way they are, but for them, it is their only reasonable response.
“Time of Day” takes the main artist out of focus and brings guest star MGK to the forefront. This song is intense and personal, yet the lyrics are still relatable.
MGK speaks of finally reaching a newer version of himself and still containing pieces of who he once was. People will see us change, for better or worse, and always have an opinion about who they think you’ve become.
But at the end of the day, that’s all that it is — their opinion. They can accept you or reject you, and it doesn’t matter. Ultimately you choose who you are.
The upbeat blues of “Born Again” puts a little pep in your step, refusing to let you stay still for the 2-minute and 36-second playtime.
Jelly Roll reflects on where he came from and how it should have probably killed him. Not everyone gets a second chance, and very few use it as wisely as the artist. Everyone counted him out, choosing to believe he would always be a product of his environment and upbringing.
Like the artist, we can overcome our greatest obstacles if we learn from our mistakes, instead of letting them break us.
“Little Light” focuses on different people the artist has met throughout his life who have fallen on tough times. Sadly, as humans, we don’t always choose the healthiest of coping mechanisms.
The two antagonists select drugs and crime to fill the void inside of them. Of course, this only leads to more darkness. Still, Jelly Roll offers us all hope by suggesting they look for the ray of light shining in the distance.
Suicide can look like our only option sometimes, the only way out of the cycle. But fighting back against the darkness, looking for that single spark of inspiration, can bring you one day closer to finding the strength to overcome your greatest fears.
“My Cross” is about generational trauma.
Throughout several interviews, Jelly Roll has spoken briefly about his two children from previous relationships. Each word he speaks of them is a testament to his love for them —this song is no different.
As we all know, addiction oftentimes runs through the bloodline, tainting future generations with the same poison as their forefathers. Our sickness becomes their sickness which in turn becomes another’s sickness — destroying everything it touches.
Jelly Roll is determined that his past and his addictions will only be his to bear. These are his burdens, and he alone will carry the weight of them.
“What’s Wrong With Me” brings the original version of the album to a close. While the title sounds like a song that would leave you feeling down and depressed, the lyrics speak of making peace with your faults.
Not a single one of us comes close to being perfect at even the best moment of the day. It’s only when we can befriend our past and stop beating ourselves up for our shortcomings that we can move forward. Becoming alright with what is wrong with you is one of the biggest steps you can take in life.
Own your failures and help others out of similar situations, that is truly what life is about.
This extended version of the album includes 6 extra tracks, allowing additional artists to share the stagelight with Jelly Roll. These secondary tracks include Halsey, Keith Urban, and Russ, just to name a few. Some of these songs are more successful than others.
For instance, ERNEST’s voice pairs more evenly with Jelly Roll’s vocals than Halsey’s unique croon. That isn’t to say that one song is better than the other, but simply, “Devil Down” feels more organic than “Take a Bow.”
Overall, none of the added tracks ultimately take away from the album, but it is easy to see why they didn’t make the original cut.
My greatest fear going into Beautifully Broken (Pickin’ Up the Pieces) was fatigue. Whitsitt Chapell is easily a classic album that means a lot to many different people. It would have been easy for Jelly Roll to wash, rinse, and repeat, hoping to capture the same spark he did last time.
Fortunately, the artist included a natural progression to the themes and added a bit of gospel for good measure. “Winning Streak,” “Liar,” and “Unpretty,” have a gospel choir joining the chorus for a beautiful effect. And to be honest, it makes it difficult to categorize this album as country.
Yes, we have the twang of the vocals and the aggressive strumming of an acoustic guitar, but we also have so much more. Piano, blues, rap, and many other elements keep these tracks from falling into a certain category at any given point.
Is it country? Yes! Is it blues? Yes! Does it rock? Absolutely!
And that my friends is what will make Jelly Roll go down in history. His ability to reach so many people across so many places is unparalleled. The positive message and vulnerability only add to the heights this man can reach.
He is a man that has gone down a similar road to others yet he has lived to tell. If we heed his warnings, maybe we can all do the same.
What is your favorite track on “Beautifully Broken?” Let us know in the comments below!
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Charles E. Henning
Self-proclaimed entertainment guru Charles E Henning fills his free time reading books, watching movies, and listening to music. While not always up on the latest trends, he is always willing to dissect the themes of pop culture.
