Amanda Shires Breaks Through With My Piece of Land

It's not fair to Amanda Shires that new fans, like myself, subconsciously associate her with her husband Jason Isbell, and forget about her very impressive career in music. That being said, a new album can change all of that, and allow us to form our opinions of her strictly on her music. My Piece of Land is without a doubt a very good album, and while Isbell is present in the songwriting credits and vocal harmonies on a handful of songs (she has also lent her violin playing and vocal harmonies to his last few albums), it's Shires' identity as a singer and songwriter that comes to the surface before everything else.

The lead single, "The Way it Dimmed," is a perfect way to kick things off, and at just over two minutes, it forges a quick connection with listeners, and displays Shires' sharp songwriting and unique vocal style. Shires explores her past in the song, with great lines jumping out of the speakers over and over again. "The Way it Dimmed" is a standout already as it is, the only song on the album that's shorter than two and a half minutes.

The instrumental arrangements vary throughout the album, with steel guitar making appearances on only a selection of songs. There's a peppy, positive sound to other songs, even when the lyrics dive into heavier material. I was reminded of Sam Outlaw's Angeleno on multiple occasions, and that's a good thing. Electric guitar and violin make appearances on a few songs, as well. While the instrumentation is fairly low key for most of the record, each song has something unique in the arrangement.

That is what I find most impressive about My Piece of Land, that each song sounds drastically different from the last, and yet the album is still able to establish a sort of cohesion, anyway. As a traditional country and bluegrass fan, I found myself gravitating toward the songs that featured Shires' excellent violin playing, like "My Love (The Storm)," which I think is the best song on the album. Lyrically, it's a lesson in metaphor. "I am the storm/at summer's end/watch the willows mourn/watch the branches bend" might be one of the best lines I've heard all year.

As far as singing is concerned, I find Shires' voice to be very pleasant and unique. The only real criticism I have is that when she's singing softly, a raspy, breathy tone surfaces at times. It's not a huge issue, by any means, but some listeners will be turned off by it. "Mineral Wells" is a perfect example of this sound that could be considered an issue, and yet it's still a great song.

Overall, My Piece of Land is another great album released in 2016 and fans should be excited for the future of Amanda Shires' music. 8/10

*Written by Kellen Dobmeier, edited by April Dahlgren

Standout tracks:
"The Way it Dimmed"
"Slippin'"
"Harmless"
"Pale Fire"
"My Love (The Storm)"
"When You're Gone"