AMANDA SHIRES

West Cross Timbers

2009-11-06

Amanda Shires is a fiddle-and-guitar-playing young woman from Lubbock who cut her teeth playing on the side for the legendary western swing band the Texas Playboys at the age of 16. This is her first real solo outing and it is drawing praise from musicians such as Chris Isaak, Justin Townes Earle and Slaid Cleves -- as well as innumerable marriage offers from the (in)famous singer/humorist Kinky Friedman. The opening songs starts with her asserting, "I hope I haunt you good," and even though that tune is not representative of the entire set, Amanda's higher-register delivery and fondness for traditional folk storytelling grow on you. The dark "I Kept watch Like the Doves" and the outstanding "Mineral Wells" show a special talent. I hope she gets her chance to build a national audience; there's a lot more here than we can take in from these 11 songs. 11/09 Michael J. F-Americana

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Folk

  • reviewed 03/2014

    CHARLIE PARR
    Hollandale

  • reviewed 04/2011

    THE BLACK LILLIES
    100 Miles Of Wreckage

  • reviewed 08/2008

    KASEY CHAMBERS & SHANE NICHOLSON
    Rattlin' Bones

  • reviewed 01/2010

    MATTHEW RYAN
    DEAR LOVER

  • reviewed 06/2007

    LEONARD COHEN
    Songs of Love and Hate

  • reviewed 09/2007

    BILL CALLAHAN
    Woke on a Whaleheart

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.