Madison Cunningham – ‘Ace’ album review: Welcome back, Joni Mitchell
Like the name suggests, Ace by Madison Cunningham is the ultimate comeuppance. It’s about time, too, being her third album via Verve Forecast. Finally, her folk-ish sonnets have the chance to sing.
THE SKINNY: To be fair, even calling the songs on this album ‘sonnets’ somehow feels like a disservice to them, not least because it isn’t actually factually correct. The 14 tracks, in themselves, are their own epic poems; masteries of little worlds which Cunningham seems to have deftly conjured up under the slight touch of her hand. Of course, that seems like quite a loose image, but there’s no way of describing Ace other than utter beguiling magic.
The basic principle of a break-up is hardly the most original source material, but amid the slew of monotonous heartbreak records out there, Cunningham has managed to create something that seems truly visionary and original. Between lush orchestrations, wailing vocals, and a truly pulsating heart, every song tells its own unique and distinctive story; this allows you to open up to the world of Ace while appreciating every intricate instrumentation for what it’s worth.
Between a blend of pop, rock, folk, jazz, and the odd hint of the blues, Cunningham cultivates a joint sonic and lyrical calling card similar to that of Joni Mitchell or, in a more modern context, Adrianne Lenker. What begins as a deep-rooted lyrical intimacy soars into a flying sense of universality. You hate to blatantly compare artists in their own right to those of days gone by, but I can’t shake the feeling that this is like Blue, but for 2025.
The Verdict: We’ve all heard break-up albums before, but Cunningham really does live up to the name of her album here in providing the ultimate Ace and golden standard of what they can achieve. Rich, textural, moving, and deeply invigorating, this one is truly a masterclass for the ages.
Defining track: ‘Shore’
Release date: October 10th, 2025 | Producer: Maddison Cunningham/Robbie Lackritz | Label: Verve Forecast
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