The media blitz leading up to the release of Amanda Shires new record "Take It Like A Man" made me hate the record before hearing a single note. I couldn't scroll, flip or browse without seeing a promo video, photo dump, or an interview starring Shires.
"A work of art!"
"OMG!"
"Best record of the year!"
I listened to the first two tracks that were let out early and neither did anything for me.
But I bought the record anyway. It's on red vinyl in a stunning gatefold. What the hell? Why not?
I went old school with this one. I unsealed it, dropped the needle, and sat with the cover and lyrics and read along.
Now I understood.
"Take It Like A Man" is a bold and beautiful confession set to music. Each song is somewhat impossibly both heartbreaking and triumphant. These are diary pages beautifully created as songs about Shires and the disconnect with her husband Jason Isbell, who appears on every song both as subject and guitar player. It really is a work of art.
The second time around for the first two songs didn't change my mind. The opener "Hawk For The Dove" has a Daniel Lanois vibe to it and I am not a fan of Daniel Lanois. The title track which follows is a bit better, but Shires employs this warble of vibrato on the last line of every verse that may have sounded like an effective trick during the session, but makes the song almost unlistenable.
Then, it all takes flight. From here on out, "Take It Like A Man" soars, covering country that would make Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen and even Al Green very proud people.
I had originally posted three tracks, but I decided against it. I can't stress enough the importance of listening to a record the way it was intended. You wouldn't start watching a movie 20 minutes in unless you couldn't find parking. So, do yourself and Amanda Shires a favor, and listen to her record from top to bottom, when you have an uninterrupted 35 minutes. Resist the urge to sample tracks three and five, or pass judgment based on a few quick samples. You will be rewarded.
5 comments:
checking this out today
Amanda Shires is interesting because - I'm going to sound like a goon as I type this, but hear me out - she's so unnaturally beautiful and Barbie-sexy, it's a bit hard for me to take her seriously. There, I said it! I know that makes me sound like a jerk, but I'm wrestling with it.
That said, these are strong songs. I'm fascinated by her marriage to Jason Isbell. Who knows what they're like in private, but on stage, I'm always a bit befuddled by how much I perceive him sort of ignoring her.... often looking the other way, rarely throwing even a loving glance at this beautiful woman. Why? Is he really that serious, or lost in his reverie, or...?
It's all just a lot to process, for me. But yes - the music is beautiful.
Uh...what?
I mean...WHAT??
I suppose that's better than Steve Earle's treatment of Alison Moorer - "hey, look at who I'm going home with tonight."
Looking forward to dialing this up later in the week. In the meantime, your post did send me down the rabbit hole of Amanda and Jason's take on Mutineer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7TAOyU8OeU
Bill
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