Amanda McCarthy – Cleanest Dirty Look (Ten Point Records)
The Internet is a wonderful tool that let’s you discover some amazing talent, just like this artist Amanda McCarthy who is an amazing country singer songwriter from America who has released one of the most exciting debut albums for an up and coming artist in a long time. The opening track Bad Habit starts off the album with a bang, a song about bad habits and her vocals, songwriting and lyrics are really good. The band is excellent and is a good toe tapping song that shines. Chevrolet has good musicianship, good vocals and lyrics. Production and songwriting by Amanda is first class. It’s a good song that I could see radio taking a shine to it. Fishin’ Tonight is co written the producer Curt Ryle and is a solid country tune, got great lyrics and musicianship, Amanda vocals are solid, has the same kind of feel as the first track. That’s Gotta Hurt is written by Mark McGuinn & Bobby Boyd is a solid tune with great vocals, musicianship and lyrics. The use of backing vocals are a solid touch. It’s a really catchy country tune. The electric guitar playing like the rest of the album is excellent. Memory Like You, is one of the strongest song, and really does show of Amanda McCarthy songwriting, its a ballad. The lyrics and vocals are solid and the musicianship is on this song is amazing. I could see this being a hit for her. Cleanest Dirty Look is the title track off the album, this is another radio hit as well for me, The songwriting by Amanda is excellent, so is the vocals and lyrics. This song has a bit of an edge to it. It’s catchy and well written. Burn is another song wrote with Curt Ryle and is another catchy track, the lyrics, vocals and musicianship are excellent. There With You, is another good song written by Amanda, good vocals and musicianship, the use of the fiddle through out the album is used very nicely and really does compliment the songs. Get Over It is written by Curt Ryle & Brittany Allen, another good tune, Amanda fine voice alongside a killer band is a winner of track, it’s a well written track and it’s pretty catchy and backing vocals are a nice touch. Highway 65 is another catchy well written track by Amanda and has good lyrics, solid vocals and musicianship. Finishes off the album on a high note. This is a first rate debut album for an up and coming country musician, Amanda should be proud of this, her songwriting is excellent. This is seriously one of my albums of the year. Give this a listen and see why you will be hearing about her in a big way.
