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 01/2005

    Various Artists
    Signature Sounds: 10th Anniversary Collection

  • reviewed 03/2012

    THE LUMINEERS
    The Lumineers

  • reviewed 05/2011

    YAEL NAIM & DAVID DONATIEN
    She was a Boy

  • reviewed 05/2009

    ERNESTO HERNANDEZ
    West Off Bridge

  • reviewed 05/2010

    THE COAL MEN
    BEAUTY IS A MOMENT

  • reviewed 10/2009

    THE PANTONES
    Inside the Sun's Wild Flame

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.