Painting Blue
Nine Mile, 2019
9/10
A Louisiana native who has been playing music since high school, Amy LaVere has kept busy with her flourishing solo career as well as playing with The Wandering, alongside Luther Dickinson.
On Painting Blue, LaVere takes help on the production side of things from her husband, Will Sexton, resulting in another stirring and emotive chapter in her expressive catalog.
LaVere starts the listen with the mysterious and warm “I Don’t Wanna Know”, where her pretty, expressive vocals are accented by strategic keys, cautious guitar and calm percussion, and “No Battle Hymn”, co-written by Sexton, follows with a quick pace of imaginative folk-rock that’s as memorable as it is fluid.
Near the middle, “You’re Not In Memphis” offers a charming brand of Americana that’s stylish and groove friendly, while “Love I’ve Missed” tugs at the heartstrings with a dreamy, romantic quality. “No Room For Baby”, a particularly striking track, then flows with strings, much emotion and gorgeous instrumentation.
Close to the end, “Shipbuilding”, an Elvis Costello tune, recruits accordion in a bare atmosphere where LaVere’s breathy vocals are the focus, and “Painting Blue (On Everything)” exits the listen bright and full of melody in the drum filled and dynamic landscape.
A record that’s as likely to embrace jazz as it is twang and is at times intimate but also very full, LaVere’s always approached her song craft from a unique perspective, and that certainly continues on this touching and timeless effort.
Travels well with: Pieta Brown- Freeway; Patty Griffin- American Kid