Ams - The Release of an American Soul
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 15 / 8 / 2010
Label:
Shields Records
Format: CD
intro
Astonishingly mature and distinctive debut album from Chicago-based brother and sister pop two-piece, the Ams
An astonishingly mature debut album from a brother and sister duo deals with matters of life and celebrates a healthy dose of weltschmerz. Not more than you could ask for indeed. The Ams hail from Chicago and Frank and Anna Carey contribute a surprising wealth of distinctive pop sounds. Always following a melody line or a song structure of some sort, the Ams must have been born and bred on music. Even wildly idiosyncratic songs like 'When We're All Alone' somehow come off naturally. Brother Frank demands most of the attention. His vocals veer towards those of a tormented soul yet they're balanced by a spacy, ringing sound and a harmony in sound which perhaps only a brother and sister can share. The feeble attempt of creating a Phil Spector kind of wall of sound sets the tone on 'Will You Marry Me?' and this second last track is not the only time this attempt is made. Plenty of pathos went into this debut. It closes off with style with a competely over the top epilogue which becomes a miniature symphony in its own right. Completely over the top in the sense of having achieved its goal, I simply refute this to be a debut.
Track Listing:-
1 The Same Air2 Your Mere Presence
3 Empty Seat
4 Saturday Afternoon
5 Summers' Gone
6 Godspeed Your Safe Return
7 Can't Sleep
8 The Masquerade
9 When We're All Alone
10 Syncom
11 Turn Up The Radio
12 Will You Marry Me?
13 The Death Of An American
most viewed articles
current edition
The Church - Interview with Steve KilbeySimon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.
Secret Shine - Interview
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Jack Roscoe - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
Flaming Stars - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for BreadIan Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Inutili - A Love Supreme
Kula Shaker - Natural Magick
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Ty Segall - Three Bells
related articles |
Ian Prowse: Live Review (2016 |
Liverpool singer-songwriter and Amsterdam front man Ian Prowse proves impressive with a lively set of both new and old songs at Gullivers in Manchester |
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart