Amanda Leigh

I miss this kind of music and I hope she makes a new album.The songs I like most areMerrimack riverFern Delland I can break your heart any day of the weekNice change from the dubstep and techno you get now

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I'm going to admit I'm not a fan of the late '90s explosion of "pop music" artists out there, and Mandy Moore was always on the fringe of them all, because she seemed smarter than the rest. She didn't profess to be righteous one moment and a "good girl" and then drunkenly crash her Mercedes into a lamppost or end up in some kind of sex scandal.In a way she was lucky in that although she didn't have the monster success of her contemporaries, she survived it with her head held high and wrote her own music. She also went very seamlessly from singer to actress, and she handles drama as well as comedy with no problems.But back to the album at hand, "Amanda Leigh" - which of course, judging by the title alone, this must be her 'roots' album, or her 'coming home' album, so that she can prove she can make 'her own kind' of music. However, this only proved to me that her music is as quirky as she probably wanted it to be - as it seems it's nothing I can peg down properly without citing a few references.About the technical part of the album -As for the length, it's a zippy 50+ minutes over 11 songs - the songs are crisp and her songwriting is clear as she has never really needed to scream or entice the listener with borrowed lyrics and overly-produced tracks. Her voice is top form here, as she half-whispers. The small independent label that is producing the album, Storefront, is using her album as a launching point. They just started up in January 2009 themselves.Now, about the music -The album begins with two very intimate songs, "Merrimack River" and "Fern Dell." These songs alone had the potential to make me become an instant fan of what might have been a new direction for her.Strangely, though, she turns to a couple of 1970's pop era Bay City Roller/early Carpenters hybrids - "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week" and "Pocket Philosopher", which I liked but not loved. I mean, I like them, but were they strong? No, not really.And it's odd, too, that this feeling goes on for entire length of the 11 songs on the album...Anyway, "Song About Home" gets intimate and flows well, "Everblue" goes as deep as any Radiohead can go (without the screaming angst), "Merrimack River (Reprise)" is a creepy afterthought to the opening song, and then a huge surprise as "Love To Love Me Back" is for me one of the best tracks on the album. The song tells a wonderful story of unrequited love and missed opportunities.The key for the whole album for me however was "Indian Summer", as the heavy piano and light lyrics finally reminded me of what I think she was trying to do here. Is she, or is she not, trying to (in her own way) channel the grandmama of all great female singer/songwriters, Carly Simon? If she was, that's a good thing, because I've ALWAYS loved Carly since the early '70s."Nothing Everything" definitely showed her hand by then, and I understood her music, and her direction, and by then the entire album, uneven as it may be, worked for me. She probably knows that the entire greedy "give-it-to-me-now" world always wants that next big song, and to be honest, she's got a good chance of a few Top 40's Contemporary Adult hits here, as either "Love To Love Me Back", "Indian Summer" or "Nothing Everything" does it for me.The last song, "Bug", gave me a wonderful 1975 Doobie Brothers/Jim Croce vibe. It was intimate again, and the song felt like it was written as a note left of the fridge as she walked out the door with her fringe jacket and acoustic guitar as she just has to go and explore the world.Did I like the album? Yes. But can I see myself hearing any of her songs on the Top 40 pop stations, next to a LOT of the garbage that passes for music nowadays? Sadly, no.The shame of it is this has potential to be a great album. I listened to it a couple of times (and I never ever really do that with too many other albums) and since it fell into my hands it has been there, a wonderful little piece of music that will attest to Mandy's talent as a songwriter and as a singer - as I've said before, just like Carly Simon.Check this album out, this is one not to be missed. I REALLY wanted to give her 5 stars for the effort, but I held back because of the unevenness.Well, maybe that was being mean, but honestly it's still good overall and worth listening to.(Please check out my other obviously hypercritical reviews, and thanks for reading.)

Mandy Moore came into the music business as your conventional pop-princess, and has slowly transformed with each album. The first sign of a transformation came with her 2001 eponymous album, which envoked a Middle-Eastern R&B sound, followed by her album Coverage which contained covers of legendary songs such as Moonshadow & Mona Lisa's & Mad Hatters. Coverage was often viewed as Mandy's emancipation album.Three years after Coverage came Wild Hope, the most mature of Moore's albums yet, containing a Country/ Folk contemporary sound where Mandy finally showed the world what a talented writer she is with thought provoking lyrics and haunting melodies.And now comes Amanda Leigh, the most adult form of Mandy's albums, this album contains lyrics that bare similarity to those of Tom Wait's & Tori Amos and the music of Joni Mitchell and Paul McCartney. The unwavering maturity in this album will make it one of the best albums of 2009, particularly as Mandy is only 25 years of age and was able to create such an inspiring album.1. Merrimack River - This album opens with a soothing chillout Bluegrass guitar drive. A song that would be good for a relaxing day in the summer sun.2. Fern Dell - Probably the dark horse track on this album. A haunting folk guitar carries this amazing single worthy track, the lyrics seem to speak of a woman regretting a relationship. The lyrics are written in a way that Tori Amos may write "Follow the kicks and punches with the rest". When listening to this, teenagers and young adults may think of the theme tune for the classic TV show, The Herbs.3. I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week - the toe-tapping, hand-clapping lead single. This song resurrects Mandy's sassy side for this catchy kiss-off but she still keeps the albums plucky acoustic sound. Fun musical vengeance at it's classiest.4. Pocket Philosopher - A tinkly toy piano carries this sweet ditty. It contains a sing-a-long sound that anyone can find joy in as it seems to speak of the joys of spring time.5. Song About Home - A cute song that reminds me of old-time movies (Circa Wizard Of Oz), that uses some very soothing vocal harmonies.6. Everblue - A ground breaking bass drum seems to create an almost African sound for this gorgeous, very unconventional ballad.7. Merrimack River (Reprise)- Another old time movie reminiscent, but more orchestral.8. Love To Love Me Back - Another potential single, a soft-rock acoustic sound. Another sun-touched song where Mandy expresses her soprano harmonies9. Indian Summer - A grand piano leads this amazing mid-tempo ballad, with lyrics referring to an evasive and changing lover but Mandy remaining the same10. Nothing Everything - A distorted guitar leads this uptempo country-tinged number, featuring Mike Viola on male vocals.11. Bug - A gorgeous and catchy bluesy/folk ballad closes this masterpiece of an album, containing a lulling fiddle solo halfway through the song.The only criticism I have is that Bug is not nearly as long as it should be.Mandy has created an album that will be labelled as one of the classiest pop albums of all time. Mandy has found her comfort zone in folksy acoustic rock music, keep it up.