The Bottom Line
- "So Into You"
- "Any Luck At All"
- "Underneath the Texas Sky"
- "Cast Away"
- Naive lyrics paired with poppy melodies on some songs
Description
- Some strong songs, some not-so-strong
- Ames' cool, earnest aesthetic brings to mind Catie Curtis at times
- A seriously tight band backs her up for this honest effort
Guide Review - Carol Ames - Shades of Indigo
The band is tight. Their fills and harmonies are necessary and well-timed – a testament to Ames' skills as a songwriter and producer.
Still, there's something about Carol Ames that is good. She won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2004, which is proof of her ability to write songs that are truly fantastic. The problem with Shades of Indigo, however, is that there just aren't enough of them on this particular record.
One of Ames' strongest assets is her ability to blend various forms of Americana; but this album may have been better served as an EP, with just a few very strong songs. As it is, some of the less fabulous tunes get overshadowed by their brightly-written counterparts.
Carol Ames has it in her, for sure – that indefinable it that's associated with artistry and star power. Shades of Indigo is just not her best album; and I'd venture to say her best is yet to come.
Listen/Download Shades of Indigo
