7.0
Well, well, well, if it wasn’t the debut album for August Ponthier. I see August hyping this album up on TikTok in the comments of posts asking for suggestions for sapphic artists, so I was curious to hear it. They have released a few EPs before this, but Everywhere isn’t Texas is their first official full-length album. I noticed right away in the credits a co-write by Amy Allen (think Grammy 2026 Songwriter of the Year). Also note, this body of work is August’s first since coming out as nonbinary and changing their name to, well, August. So, let’s get into the review of August Ponthier’s Everywhere Isn’t Texas.
This album starts out with World Famous, a song that immediately has me asking, and I apologize if you already knew the answer to this question, “ Is this a folk/county album?” I really was expecting a pop piece. August does a great job of carving out their genre niche with song number one. I also love the horror references. The clarity of the bass in my headphones gives me goosebumps.
Ribbons + Taxes gives me a Kacey Musgraves taste in my mouth. I find it interesting that August is questioning their womanhood in this song and I find myself googling their pronouns at this point just to be sure I’ve got it. I’m still learning.
Handsome gives me more context to where August is at with gender. I was hoping for a Brandie Carlilie vibe here, based on my preview of the title and lyrics, but alas, I don’t think so. Here, I realize that this whole album really does have great pop lyrics though—they are easily swallowed and digested, but have emotional depth and provide a solid point from which to jump off and think deeply. I love this.
I’m crying, are you? gives off more of a pop feel. It is very catchy and is a standout song for me on the album. It rolls into the title track Everywhere isn’t Texas, a really neat, deep ballad with lyrics that will take more than a once over to fully take in.
Betty has themes of becoming, expression, reinvention, and self-discovery. This song, along with most of this album, has a very pleasant sound
Karaoke Queen brings great storytelling, akin to Taylor Swift but with Billy Joel’s Piano Man grit.
Angry Man features a songwriting credit by Amy Allen and is a beautiful song for it being sad and traumatic in theme. Lines such as “unforgiving mouth” are the type of poetry that stirs me.
Bloodline continues the theme of lifelong trauma that the quest to overcome this, with August speculating that they may be the end of their bloodline and confessing their fear that “traumaitizing” may be their legacy. I actually resonate with this and can’t speak much more on it,
The stylistic and political choice to end the album with a Everywhere isn’t Texas again as a sort or reprise is rather brilliant. This serves as an amendment to the prior song iteration, where August acknowledges that the “words and laws” of Texas “couldn’t touch our souls” and they want the best of their home state. I echo this sentiment for my country as a whole.
Overall, this album is lyrically brilliant. August lays their soul out like bedsheets on a clothes line–fresh up to the sun to dry and the audience is the aural benefactor. I give this album a solid 7. The folk instrumentation is clear, clean and beautiful. This instrumentation lacks punch in some sections, but the lyrics never do. Great job, August.
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