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Product Description
Q ****
"Growing confidence as a songwriter, arrangements that push the boundaries of Americana, even an unlikely Captain Beefheart cover make Stranger Me, her third release extra rewarding."
"Her songs have dynamic intelligence and just the right amount of deadpan humour with vocal skills that are both delicate and sensual."
"Stranger Me is a richly atmospheric, darkly seductive song cycle.."
"Her songs have dynamic intelligence and just the right amount of deadpan humour with vocal skills that are both delicate and sensual."
"Stranger Me is a richly atmospheric, darkly seductive song cycle.."
The Sunday Times ****
"A spikier, louder affair than her second album ... it suits her"
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Amy LaVere is a singer songwriter from Memphis and 'Stranger Me' is her
second album. Ms LaVere is in touch with her dark side in a good way.
The eleven tracks in this collection deliver a well-rounded tour of the
dour and sourer corners of human emotion. Bitterness, however, becomes her!
Ms LaVere has a fine voice. A bit smokey and broken but never less than
on the money when it comes to giving life and full expression to the words.
(At times Joan Wasser comes to mind - not least of all in 'Often Happens',
a truly wonderful song). There is considerable variation in her approach
to mood, melodic content and dynamic flow. From the gritty folksy grandeur
of opening track 'Damn Love Song'; through the delicate pizzicato eddies
of 'Lucky Boy'; to the dreamlike, almost suffocating arrangement of 'Cry
My Eyes Out' (where half-heard night creatures make their scratching and
scuffling presence felt) - it is a richly realised tour de force of both
composition and performance. (Her quirky take on Captain Beefheart's 'Candle
Mambo' is an absolute hoot - not least of all because of Dave Cousar's
splendidly inventive guitar playing). The album is a joy throughout.
Final track 'Let Youself Go (Come On)' is as fine a piece of left-of-centre
country-blues as I've heard in the past decade! Ms LaVere is a class act!
Highly Recommended.
second album. Ms LaVere is in touch with her dark side in a good way.
The eleven tracks in this collection deliver a well-rounded tour of the
dour and sourer corners of human emotion. Bitterness, however, becomes her!
Ms LaVere has a fine voice. A bit smokey and broken but never less than
on the money when it comes to giving life and full expression to the words.
(At times Joan Wasser comes to mind - not least of all in 'Often Happens',
a truly wonderful song). There is considerable variation in her approach
to mood, melodic content and dynamic flow. From the gritty folksy grandeur
of opening track 'Damn Love Song'; through the delicate pizzicato eddies
of 'Lucky Boy'; to the dreamlike, almost suffocating arrangement of 'Cry
My Eyes Out' (where half-heard night creatures make their scratching and
scuffling presence felt) - it is a richly realised tour de force of both
composition and performance. (Her quirky take on Captain Beefheart's 'Candle
Mambo' is an absolute hoot - not least of all because of Dave Cousar's
splendidly inventive guitar playing). The album is a joy throughout.
Final track 'Let Youself Go (Come On)' is as fine a piece of left-of-centre
country-blues as I've heard in the past decade! Ms LaVere is a class act!
Highly Recommended.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Stranger, indeed...
19 July 2011
Format:Audio CD
In the aftermath to the end of a six year relationship with her lover/drummer, exit of guitarist/collaborator Steve Selvidge (to The Hold Steady) and death of mentor and producer Jim Dickinson, the eclectic blues/country singer, songwriter and stand-up bassist extraordinaire Amy Lavere goes deeper, darker and a little, well, stranger on her eccentric but captivating new album Stranger Me (July 19, Archer). Working with producer Craig Silvey (engineer for the Grammy-winning Suburbs by Arcade Fire), LaVere dramatically expands upon her moody barroom cabaret roots music on her third album while wandering into the atmospheric and foreboding shadows of Tom Waits-meets- David-Lynch ethereal mystery. The eye mask that she adopts for her artwork reinforces the album's enigmatic approach, a theatrical turn that's injected into the songs' moody lyrical tone and the oddball, "kitchen sink" instrumentation.
One of the most telling events in the creation of Stranger Me was the fact that Silvey purposely didn't listen to Lavere's earlier albums, allowing a completely fresh approach to the sonic fabric. Multi-instrumentalist Rick Steff added an array of left-field instruments (toy pianos, Buddha boxes) and guitarist David Cousar created reverbed fret shadings and spooky solos. And at the core is LaVere's bold vision, a slew of unpredictable twists and turns and impressive growth as a songwriter. The head-turning, twanged kick of the album's title track tells us just where Stranger Me is headed, LaVere's girlish purr of a vocal slinking around the notes instead of hitting them straight on. "You Can't Keep Me" is a defiant, brassy stomp of a cool-cat tune that sounds like it could be the flip-side of some early, lost Elvis single (Costello and Presley).
One of the most telling events in the creation of Stranger Me was the fact that Silvey purposely didn't listen to Lavere's earlier albums, allowing a completely fresh approach to the sonic fabric. Multi-instrumentalist Rick Steff added an array of left-field instruments (toy pianos, Buddha boxes) and guitarist David Cousar created reverbed fret shadings and spooky solos. And at the core is LaVere's bold vision, a slew of unpredictable twists and turns and impressive growth as a songwriter. The head-turning, twanged kick of the album's title track tells us just where Stranger Me is headed, LaVere's girlish purr of a vocal slinking around the notes instead of hitting them straight on. "You Can't Keep Me" is a defiant, brassy stomp of a cool-cat tune that sounds like it could be the flip-side of some early, lost Elvis single (Costello and Presley).
Amy is great
10 Feb 2012
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoy this cd immensely. Amy is an incredible bassist. I wish the record labels and managers and whoever influences her not to play away would just go away. I hope Amy gains more control over her music because her bass playing is incredible. There are not that many competent stand up bassists and she is excellent. Her voice I love.At times her songs are extraordinary and at others whether ordinary,this could be said about many young singer songwriters battling popularity with creative choices and control. I enjoy this effort by Amy Lavere. I think she will only get better. Her voice and playing are so much better than previous cds , this release proved that each release is worth waiting for. A great talent.
5 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Nice songs, beautiful voice, cool production
19 July 2011
Format:Audio CD
On first listen, this album sounds like a winner most of the time. Instrumentally dense, diverse, and beautiful. Cool, sick guitar. Nice voice and lyrics. Can't wait to hear it again
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