Arkansas’ Pamela Hopkins has taken the path less traveled to this place in her life. She released her first album of original songs in 1995, a figurative lifetime ago, and didn’t follow it up for twenty-three years. Hopkins, in the interval, prospered pursuing careers in education and law enforcement. However, the clarion call of music, an abiding passion since her childhood, couldn’t be ignored any longer.
BIO: https://pamelahopkinsmusic.com/bio
Her second EP emerged in late 2018 and Hopkins soon followed that with two singles released during 2019. Hopkins’ talents are considerable on their own, but she’s made a shrewd decision teaming with long-time Nashville songwriters. It brings a further degree of commercial polish and sophistication without ever sacrificing quality and individuality.
Hopkins’ latest single “Back When” will be part of her repertoire for some time to come. The song’s title hints at a nostalgic turn for her work, but she avoids any sort of saccharine overkill. Instead, the writing grounds “Back When” in details any listeners over the age of twenty-five will connect with.
It isn’t unduly sentimental, however. Hopkins certainly isn’t breaking any new ground regarding subject matter, songs looking back to youth with longing are omnipresent in popular music but claims the topic as her own. Her vocal phrasing imbues the words with a delicate poetic intimacy but, once again, never comes across as self-indulgence. It is measured yet impassioned.
Many will single out the guitar work as the song’s defining musical element. It has a level of prominence other instruments lack, without question, but it is far from its only strong suit. Small touches such as the handclaps underline the song’s intimacy and the electric guitar deepens the song’s emotional impact.
Country music is, of course, the guiding force behind this song. The aforementioned electric guitar, however, coupled with an assertive backbeat definitely owes much to rock music. She maintains an effective balance between these elements that allows the rock strands to come to the fore at key points rather than overwhelming her intended audience. This is modern country but even critics of that school will concede Hopkins never strikes a false note.
If you associate piano bar performers with schmaltzy melodrama, Pamela Hopkins will disabuse you of the notion fast. “Back When”, like its predecessors, crackles with sincerity as well as considerable musical skill. She has surrounded herself with a first class crew of collaborators focused on complementing her vocal gifts. “Back When” will appeal to a wide swath of listeners and holds up under repeated hearings.
We are living in interesting times but there’s little question Pamela Hopkins’ 2021 is especially memorable. The songs she’s co-written this year are invaluable additions to her live performances and stand on their own as fully realized studio recordings. The turn in her personal journey that’s brought her back to music, on a full time basis now, is paying off more and more and “Back When”, despite casting a backwards glance, testifies to the future’s boundless possibilities. You’re well advised to keep listening.
Troy Johnston