There’s something about a live cut of a song that’s hard to beat. Take any country song and listen to the live version. If the artist is worth their salt, that live version is going to beat the album cut every time. Ashley McBryde is one performer who is certainly worth her salt. If her recent award nominations didn’t make that clear, her live video for “Martha Divine,” proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Ashley McBryde premiered the video on CMT earlier today. You can hear the new live cut of the track wherever you stream music. Before you do that, though, do yourself a favor and watch the video. Watching McBryde and her band rock “Martha Divine” elevates an already outstanding cut to something almost otherworldly.
If you’re unfamiliar with the track, it’s a rocking story song. It’s all about a daughter who is confronting her father’s mistress. They aren’t about to have a nice calm chat about it, either. The song kicks off with a thinly veiled threat involving a shovel. The chorus, however, pulls the veil right off. “Martha Divine, Martha Divine/ You put your hands on the wrong damn man this time/ Jezebel, you’re bound for Hell/ But evidently, the devil was busy so I moved you up in line, Martha Divine.”
In short, it’s a rowdy, rocking, murder ballad that you’re going to want to add to your playlist if it isn’t there already.
Why Did Ashley McBryde Drop a New Live Version of “Mattha Divine?”
Ashley McBryde has a good reason for releasing the live cut of “Martha Divine.” It’s to get fans ready for her upcoming live LP. “Never Will: Live From a Distance,” drops May 28th. The EP will contain a selection of the best tracks from McBryde’s Grammy-nominated 2020 album “Never Will.”
Ashely McBryde said that her upcoming live EP will give fans. “a taste of what they would have seen had the world not changed so much,” according to CMT. If this lead single is any indication of what the rest of the EP is going to sound like, fans are certainly in for a treat.
Never Will: Live From a Distance will also feature “First Thing I Reach For,” “Shut Up Sheila,” “Velvet Red,” “Voodoo Doll,” and “Sparrow.”
The original release of “Never Will.” brought the Arkansas native the recognition she deserves. The album made Ashley McBryde the first artist to ever be nominated for Country Album of the Year by the Grammys, the ACM, and the CMA. So, it goes without saying that the album is rock solid. The live EP is going to be an absolute monster. If you’re not already on the Ashley McBryde train, go ahead and jump on now. You’re going to want to be there for the next stretch of this ride.
