It is so hard to get heard over the din of an ever-expanding media maze of itunes, video games, facebook, twitter, radio, TV, commercials, movies, concerts and clouds - what's a girl to do? If you're Amanda Shires, you do it yourself . Although a veteran of tours and recording projects with such alt country luminaries like Jason Isbell, Justin Townes Earle, Billy Joe Shaver, Shires is just beginning to get noticed for her burgeoning, self-directed solo career. Her melancholy Texas twang recalls a less craggy Lucinda Williams with the emotional purity of prime Nanci Griffith. [...]
1 Band of Holy Joy How To Kill A Butterfly Wonderfully crafted the songs preach with a desolate beauty leaving behind plenty of food-for-thought I've listened and enjoyed some great music this year but none better than this album from Band Of Holy Joy which just stopped me in my tracks, but it doesn't end with the musical brilliance as the CD release is packaged beautifully too in a book format with wonderful original art work by Inga Tillere , for your chance [...]
This album has been kicking around my "to review" folder for a damned coon's age. I've decided I wasn't gonna write about the album countless times, only to listen to it again and add it back to the list. Lots of people who like the album a whole lot more than I do have reviewed it, as well as a slew of folks who like it less, and yet I feel compelled to make sure it's represented here on ninebullets. I believe that some of my initial hesitation towards writing about this album is how well-polished it is. [...]
Give Me My XXX is a grassroots movement intended to give "outer-edge" artists a common umbrella to call home as well as a place for fans of a band to try and find other "like sounded" bands. They've been releasing some compilations under the "Southern Independent" moniker and offering them up for free download over on givememyxxx.com . Last week, they released Vol. 3 which features a track from the upcoming Scott H. Biram album, Bad Ingredients , as well as a track from a band we champion the shit out of around here, [...]
Video director Cory Basil's paper doll animation takes Amanda Shires ' lovely "Ghostbird" and recasts the alt-country song in a light that accentuates the childish whimsy while letting a few darkened shadows hover on the sidelines. From her recent album Carrying Lightning , an album that spurred us to ponder, "The love child of Dolly Parton and Tom Waits, perhaps?" More DC on Shires and Lightning here . [...]
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Ever time I'm called upon to write about Amanda Shires , I can't help but be surprised that she doesn't have a bigger following. I believe that Ghostbird is the second video from Carrying Lightning (check the first one here ) and it's a good'un without a doubt.
This is very nice! Her voice reminds me a little of Tracy Chapman, though the style is a little folkier. She's won a new fan today :) (That's me). Amanda Shires' website I may not post much else this weekend - I'm moving *again*. I know. Third time in three years. What can I say? Circumstances, brothers and sisters. Circumstances. Also I think the batteries in my wireless mouse are going...
Amanda Shires performed a set for NPR's fabulous Tiny Desk Concert today, with a voice like an angel. Check out an excerpt from the session of "Swimmer" below. For the full set, head on over to the set on youtube . Also, check out her solo version of the same track here. Carrying Lightning
Released earlier this year in the US, Rod Picott's latest album Welding Burns is an independent release that's out in the UK today and he touring over here in October to promote it, the dates are below and there's a Bob Harris Country session planned too which I'm very much looking forward to. I mentioned in a recent post Picott's contribution to the great Amanda Shires album Carrying Lightning and on this his seventh solo release she joins up with him again adding vocals and fiddle to the album which was recorded at True Tone Studios, Nashville TN [...]
Amanda Shires - Ghostbird
Amanda Shires - When You Need A Train It Never Comes (via Teenage Kicks )
Amanda Shires - Carrying Lightning Release Date: May 3, 2011 Label: 101 Distribution
I'm a little late in mentioning this album but couldn't let it pass without a few words of praise as it's fast becoming one of my favourite albums of the year so far, one of those rare albums where there's not a weak track Carry Lightning showcases Shires talents as both writer and musician, a dozen tracks it kicks of with Swimmer…. and ends with an instrumental version of the opener, in-between there are nine further Shire's originals and a cover of Barbara Keith's Detroit or Buffalo, Neil Casal who guests on [...]
It is so hard to get heard over the din of an ever-expanding media maze of itunes, video games, facebook, twitter, radio, TV, commercials, movies, concerts and clouds - what's a girl to do? If you're Amanda Shires, you do it yourself. Although a veteran of tours and recording projects with such alt country luminaries like Jason Isbell, Justin Townes Earle, Billy Joe Shaver, Shires is just beginning to get noticed for her burgeoning solo career. As evidenced by an early set (8:00 sharp start!) tonight at Philly's Grape Room, Amanda Shires is a nimble fiddler who packs [...]
Here's another, seemingly random, collection of videos for you to all enjoy. First, Hayes Carll and Bonnie Whitmore sing "Another Like You" from Carll's new album KMAG YOYO . The duo performed the same song live in the WDVX studio over a year ago when they joined me for an interview on the air. After he played it, Carll told me it was the first time he'd ever performed the song publicly. Of course, I had plugged the input cable for my audio recorder into the wrong jack and didn't record the first note. [...]
"Baby, I Will Leave You In The Morning" - Marissa Nadler "Nobody's Fault But Mine" - Abigail Washburn <br? "Spin Me A Rhyme" by Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou "Shake the Wall" - Amanda Shires
Time for more videos. We'll start with a couple of visual feasts from Ben Sollee. First is a video for the song I shared yesterday... "Electrified." And another tune from the new album... Here's a second video from Amanda Shires' new album Carrying Lightning . This video might be a little bit out there... but The King is Dead by The Decemberists is still probably the frontrunner for my favorite album of the year.
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