Give Me Away
Self-Released, 2024
8/10
A personal body of work for the singer-songwriter Amanda Grace, these 11 tracks bring a wealth of self-reflection and showcase some excellent musicians for the diverse listen.
The soft and crisp title track opens with Matt Patrick’s warm organ and mellotron complementing Grace’s soaring pipes with some rural spirit, and “Wouldn’t Be You” follows with Ian Allison’s skilled bass matching the emotive singing in the powerful climate.
Moving into the middle, the breezy “The Last Ones” shuffles with a country flavor that uses Steve Bosmans’ melodic guitar superbly, while “New Year” is a bit dreamy and welcomes Noah Levy’s precise drumming amid Grace’s expressive voice.
Closer to the end, the intimate and stirring “Best Part Of Me” has Patrick handling rubber bridge guitar, Hohner Paint, synthesizer and backing vocals for the heartfelt album highlight, and “All We Need” exits with Patrick playing a handful of instruments via the rich, textured Americana.
A Minnesota artist who embraces R&B, soul, rock, indie and pop into her universally relatable formula, Amanda Grace possesses a voice you won’t soon forget, and these songs resonate, too.
Travels well with: Leslie Vincent- About Last Night; Mae Simpson- Chandelier & Bloom