“Rolling Up the Welcome Mat” by Kelsea Ballerini

BY MARGARET HOLMES

Interlude - 6/10

This song is about a minute long and it’s kind of, dare I say it, genius? It’s a little bit trippy and a nice break from the other songs. The drawback is, though, that it doesn’t really work on its own. I don’t like rap country but since this is shorter I think it fts in with the other songs.

Mountain With a View - 8/10

Right away I love the echoing chords in the beginning. I think the music in this song is subtle, but efective. It’s mostly the same chords, but the way they are distributed throughout the song is well done. The bridge of this song is also so good. I think the ending of the song, cutting of before she can fnish the line, is very metaphorical of her relationship, how it was supposed to last forever, but in the end she had to cut the marriage short. Very profound.

Favorite Lyrics: You’ll say I’m crazy for bein’ the one to leave/Scream I’m just like my parents and givin’ up easy/But you never took that last fight to see me/Looks like our ending ain’t endin’ happily

Just Married - 6/10

: First of all, clever word play in this title. Why does country music always have the best word play in its titles? Oh yeah because country music is the best. This song mostly serves to document the ways Ballerini’s marriage fell apart. Ballerini comes across very sympathetic in this song. As for the music, it’s a little fat but at least it’s country.

Favorite Lyrics: But I wasn’t made for fxing a plate and getting divorced sounds scary/But I’m just not strong enough to hold on with all of the weight that I carried

Blindsided - 5/10

This song kind of seems a little bro-country to me? I’m not sure why, maybe because it reminds me of Florida Georgia Line. As much as I love bro country this song falls a little fat for me. It sounds a little generic and like you could turn your radio to any country station and hear a song like this. I’m also not a huge fan of the slower spoken parts of this song. Unlike Penthouse it feels way too repetitive and I feel like the second half of this song is just saying “were you just blind” over and over again.

Favorite Lyrics: And now you’re saying that you’re lost, and that’s lost on me/ Tell me, when did I start looking like the enemy?/I know the truth is hard to hear, you’ve got yours and I’ve got mine

Penthouse - 9/10

I’m a Swiftie, don’t get me wrong, but this song strikes me as everything Taylor Swift attempts in so many of her songs and yet fails to do. I feel like Ballerini, like Swift, puts in so many metaphors and symbolism, but instead of coming across irrelevant it ties in really well. The verses feed into the chorus really organically and although it’s fairly repetitive it’s always diferent enough to work.

Favorite Lyrics: It hurts putting shit in a box/And now we don’t talk/And it stings rolling up the welcome mat/Knowing you got half

Leave Me Again - 7/10

Kelsea Ballerini’s voice is 10/10 in this one. Her delivery of the lyrics feel so natural and I genuinely feel like I’m listening to someone just deciding to pick up their guitar and sing out their feelings. Also, is it just me or does this song kind of sound like something Dolly Parton would write? I just get those vibes from it. Even though it’s one of those ‘I hope’ songs, it doesn’t feel too cliche, and even then it’s fne because it’s country, and country is all about tradition.

Favorite lyrics:I hope you’re spending Christmas with your family/I hope you’re writing songs that you love/I hope you’re feeling happier than you’ve ever been/ And I hope I never leave me again