Land of the Neon Sun [CD], Kam Franklin, CD

With Land of the Neon Sun, Franklin clinches a personal win and delivers a 12-song joyride that honors Americana roots while embracing experimentation, individuality, and vulnerability. Co-produced by Franklin with sly alt-country hero Margo Price, the album marks Franklin’s first full-length solo record. It offers a snapshot of a brilliant artist who’s learned to lean into her perspective instead of to contort it into what anybody else has in mind. Franklin serves as her own muse, wielding a stubborn conscience that blurs the lines between art and advocacy. “This is my baby––my vision, my colors, truly my sound,” Franklin says. “I decided, okay, let me show people what I can do."