Robert Ellis Orral – Wonderland

Robert Ellis Orral and I go way back. Sort of. I first heard his 1981 track entitled “Call the Uh-Oh Squad” on an RCA power pop compilation called Blitz along with a track from Bow Wow Wow, as I recall. Then, in my first job out of college, I sat in a cubicle next to a guy who went to high school with him – and played horns on one of his early demos.

I was surprised to learn that he had a country hit in the 1990’s on his Flying Colors release so I had to go out and buy it. Since then, he’s written hits for Taylor swift and Reba McEntire. Pretty decent career by any standard. His latest, Wonderland, has its share of memorable tracks, too.

Not So Silly Love Songs

Wonderland is his fifteenth album and consists of ten love songs running just over a half hour. The piano driven title song is indicative of the overall sentiments expressed in the album. It’s a classic ballad and as such is certainly evocative. From there, Orrall pivots to a defiant strut with “Brand New Me”, a song that is essentially a middle finger to an ex-lover. This track is much more my cup o’ tea.

“I’m Coming With You” has a jangly bounce that’s easy to like. Then there’s a re-imagined version of “I’m Only Me When I’m With You”, a previous co-write with Taylor Swift. But the gem here is “When Will You Love Me Again”, a country tinged track with a whopper of a hook for a chorus.

Pop Catch Up

It was great to catch up with a (sort of) old acquaintance. And his new album, Wonderland, is a warm, hook filled trip down pop-rock lane. Don’t miss it. You can get your copy (digital or CD) at Apple Music, Amazon Music or Bandcamp.