CASSADEE POPE GETS BACK TO HER ROOTS WITH 'HEREDITARY'

I'm music magazine, album review, hereditary album review, hereditary, hey monday, fall out boy, pete wentz, people that i love leave, i died, daisha mcbride, the rap girl, three of us

Nashville based singer/songwriter and winner of the 2012 season of The Voice, Cassadee Pope is going back to her pop-punk beginnings with her newest album. Having formed her pop-punk band, Hey Monday in 2008, they were quickly signed to Fall Out Boy Pete Wentz’s label, but their light fizzled out and the band went in to an indefinite hiatus in December of 2011. Aptly named, Hereditary is her first full length album since 2021’s Thrive. Cassadee announced that she was stepping away from the country in December 2022. She told People magazine “My style keeps changing. I’m evolving. I was wanting to do rock again, just sonically.”

Hereditary is the result of her comeback. It’s woven with emotional, in-your-face, lyrics, and strong guitar. It opens with a big pop-punk smash that will get your energy going, called “People That I Love Leave.” The opening is just Cassadee and her guitar. Much like her strong voice that grabs you in the beginning, the introduction to the rest of the fast paced song grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go. Upbeat, yet with lyrics that evoke a response, “People That I Love Leave” speaks of the insecurities us women have. “I point the finger and start questionin’ you / It’s like come on, am I the best m:you can do? … They move on and forget about me / And that’s how it’ll always be.” I’m sure in a room with five women, at least four of them felt like this at some point in their lives. Cassadee brings the issue out into the open, and maybe we can help each other feel better.

“I Died” is a duet with rap artist Daisha McBride, aka The Rap Girl. The mixture of the two genres are always interesting, and it fits well with this song that speaks of exes wanting to do away with any memory of you. The ups and downs of the lady’s tones, mixed with the raw lyrics, makes for a song that hits on all levels. Cassadee “…I knew you hated me, but I didn’t know / How bad you wanna erase me / I’m six feet under baby” Daisha “Dead to you, you ain’t even leave no flowers / Now I’m six feet under all this baggage / When I hit you up hate that you don’t text back / Don’t ever fall in love it’s a death trap” The visuals conjured up by the lyrics are mesmerizingly beautiful yet harsh. The video is perfect example of bringing those visuals to life.

The song that bring out the best blending of Cassadee’s two genres is Three of Us. She told her fans on her YouTube channel that the subject was one she had never approached before, but felt now was the time. The acoustic guitar and longing in her voice add to the mournful yet angry tone of the lyrics. “But it’s you and me and the drugs make three / If they’re so damn good how could I compete…It’s either you and me or the drugs / cause I’m done with the three of us.” The country influence of this song is unmistakable, but Cassadee has twisted it into something new.

Cassadee will be performing these songs and more on her tour. She’s headlining a tour currently and in the fall she will be one of the opening acts for Marianas Trench on their tour. Look for release of Hereditary on 7/12 and help celebrate Cassadee Pope’s return to where it all started!

I’m Music Magazine Photographer/Writer Michele Hancock