Amelita

I'll be honest....I was REALLY disappointed when I heard this album for the first time. Where was the depth and energy and originality that graced 2010's COURT YARD HOUNDS, making it one of the year's biggest and best surprises?!? Everything here, by contrast, seemed so...slight...and tentative. Granted, there's no denying thst my appreciation grew and I warmed up to the disc with each new listen (I would actually rate this a 3.5 star album if I could, but I had to round down...I gave COURT YARD HOUNDS 4 stars, and I still think it's a far superior release), but I'm still missing a lot of the elements that made the pair's debut effort so special. For instance, "See You In The Spring", the stunning duet with Jakob Dylan, was one of CYH's stand-out cuts. I would have loved to have seen something like that track duplicated here with, say, Chris Isaak or Stevie Nicks. And where is (more of) the spirited pop and edgier rock that made cuts like "The Coast" and "It Didn't Make A Sound" just explode out of the speakers? Too much of AMELITA sounds the same, sort of a watered-down Sheryl Crow-lite. I certainly think sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire are on to something ~ Court Yard Hounds are definitely the real deal! ~ but it's still WAY too early in the game to be playing it safe. COURT YARD HOUNDS had an air of adventure to it, a glorious feeling of abandon. AMELITA, on the other hand, is all too safe, coming across as more respectable than raucous. The disc opens with the brilliant "Sunshine." An airy, light-hearted melody juxtaposed with stinging lyrics ("Tonight you'll grace us with all your inner presence/While your backhanded compliments suck the air/Out of the room") dances out of the speakers, aided and abetted by Robison's shimmering lead vocal. A very nice way to kick things off! Even better is the disc's pulsating title track. With it's rapid fire percussive beat, almost frantic strings, and killer harmonies, there's almost a Beatlesesque vibe going on here. Little things like handclaps and guiros only add to the magic. This certainly isn't a rock track, but it DEFINITELY sports a rock ATTITUDE, something that the rest of the disc could have used more of. It's at this point that things start to get a tad bit...snoozy. "The World Smiles" is nice enough, what with it's minimal arrangement, breathy vocals and upbeat lyrics ("If I believe in the good stuff/And open my eyes up/The world smiles"), but, honestly, this track is completely forgotten three more cuts into the album. Far stronger is "Aimless Upward." There's an intense urgency to the cut that just draws you in. Hypnotic, captivating, deep...it all comes together here, thanks to the sparse (yet spirited) arrangement, subdued vocals and sincere lyrics ("We fool ourselves with our happy tunes/Convinced the beauty is in the bloom/Can I let go of my vanity"). Once again, very nice. It could be said that Maguire suffers from Nancy Wilson Syndrome....much like the Heart guitarist, her lead vocals are few and far between, and often hit or miss. COURT YARD HOUND's were spot-on. AMELITA's? Not so much. "A Guy Like You" is just WAY too cutesy for it's own good, all cotton candy coy and pink lemonade light. A major misstep. When a song has the word "rock" in it, it needs to do just that...ROCK! That just doesn't happen with "Rock All Night"...the arrangement never goes beyond a seven (everyone knows rock has to go to an "eleven!"), while the lead vocal is sweet and safe, vs. sweaty and saucy. And what the heck is a "Himalaya ride?!?" Whatever it is, it must be pretty tame....just like this track, which veers very close to karaoke. "Phoebe" creeps dangerously close to CYH's "Ain't No Son", what with it's gothic intensity and chilling visuals, but that's O.K. ~ when something works, it's worth repeating! Plus, the cut sports the disc's best line: "The golden rule/You'll never learn in school/Boys can be mean/But girls are down-right cruel." One of AMELITA's best! There's a wistful resignation to "Divided" that's both charming and heartbreaking. Is this relationship permanently broken, or just temporarily split asunder? Everything from the thoughtful arrangement and understated instrumentation to the delicate lead and harmony vocals leaves you guessing, wondering what will happen next. You can't ask for much more from a song. Maguire once again takes the lead on "Gets You Down", which fares only slightly better than "A Guy Like You." There's a demo-ish quality to the cut ~ almost like two kids singing into a tape recorder in their bedroom ~ that's somewhat disconcerting. To be honest, I would have loved to have seen them do a 180 here, and do this as a supple rocker, vs. a whispery ballad. We'll call this one a "Could've been." Robison delivers her best vocal on "Watch Your Step", which also happens to be the album's best cut. Sexy and spirited, she just soars! Toss in a crackling arrangement that allows each and every instrument to rock out (even though it's pretty much all acoustic strings!), and THIS is the sort of spirit and groove and GUTS that AMELITA could have used more of. LOVE this song!!!! After the utter exhilaration of "Watch Your Step", "The Road You Take" might be considered a let-down by some, but they would be only partially correct. With it's dour, yet distinct, arrangement, full-bodied lead vocal and observant lyrics ("In times of clarity/I see the bones we break/Aren't always gonna mend"), you actually have a nice little album closer. But that's just not enough. It's clear that Court Yard Hounds are so much more than just a side project from two former Chicks, but if the sisters Erwin really want to be considered contenders, they'll need to push the envelope A LOT more on their next release. Here's hoping we see less of sweet little AMELITA on that album, and more of her sassy, slinky cousin, Angelita! (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).

I have had this cd for quite a while now and felt like it was a good time to write a review.If you have their first cd, it's my opinion this is superior. Emily seems to be more confident in her singing, the songwriting is stronger, and just in general I think they found their sound here. I would consider this quite a bit more country/bluegrass than their first album, but that's another plus for me regarding this album.Particularly I love,- Amelita- Watch Your Step (my personal favorite)- The Road You Take- Gets You Down- PhoebeMy least favorite song is definitely "The World Smiles". It just feels far too pollyanna to me, though it does seem like it would make a good commercial jingle.This is a strong album. And if you are thinking about getting it, I definitely recommend it :)

Some folks maybe Dixie Chicks fans. Some maybe Court Yard Hounds fans. This album will satisfy both. While Court Yard Hounds may not be able to escape the comparisons to the Dixie Chicks, when you have 2/3s of the band, it unfortunately comes with the territory. Fortunately for Emily and Martie, they showcase their talent and truly show why it takes more than just a singer to make great music. If the first album from CYH didn't already hook you, this album truly shows how musically inclined and talented Marite and Emily are.The title track is great however the entire album is great as well. If you are on the fence, I say give it a try. What you have to gain greatly outweighs what you have to lose. I've never heard of someone who enjoys an album say 'man I love the album, but I don't think it was worth it." Usually the latter part of that statement is reserved for albums that one is dissatisfied with. Which is something you would not be if you purchase this album.

When I received this CD Amelita, I listened to it twice one time after another. This CD is amazing and awesome! I love Emily's vocals and the harmony between her and Martie. The content in the lyrics are full of meaning and depth. With just the two of them it is a softer sound....however in no way does that take away from the power of their music and lyrics. Yes I agree with others...I can hear a comparison to Cheryl Crow. I feel this CD is far less country-tinged than the DCs music. I also ordered their first CD "Court Yard Hounds" and waiting to receive it now.As well, I purchased Natalie's CD "Mother" also amazing!These women are awesome together as the DCs and on their own, they can hold their own!This is great CD, order it NOW!

For anyone that is tired of the misery and negative messages of the world and just wants to relax, feel good and have a great time, I highly recommend courtyard hounds and their fun, folk,/country sound. For any woman who wants to encourage her daughter to see herself in more of a positive light and believing in herself I highly recommend that you pick up this music for your daughter. I would call it fantastic road trip music and it also helps me get Things done on a cloudy day.After all, isn’t this what music is all about?

"Amelita" was a step out in boldness for The Courtyard Hounds.Martie and Emily have complementary voices and play their stringed instruments with unparallelled precision. I am so glad they separated from Natalie Maines,, who was nothing short of annoying. Each song is a rich tapestry of musical richness, unafraid to tackle sensitive subjects with volumes of humor."Amelita" is confident and is a great spirit rouser on days where nothing seems to make sense."Aimless Upward" stands out as breezy and transcends the listener with an unabashed hope in its lyrics. "Amelita" has an appeal that will remain with anybody who wants to embark on a musical adventure , that will leave them uplifted.

I adore this album, found it doing a wee bit of DC research after seeing them live in Birmingham recently. I love the DCs but did not know Emily & Martie performed together without Natalie. I have played this constantly since receiving it and it had kept me company on a couple of long car journeys. The lyrics aren't as strong as the DCs and I don't get Sunshine at all (he drags her mood down,so she calls him Sunshine??) but their melodies are clever & terrific and very memorable.Waiting for their other album to arrive from the US.

A good second album from the CYHs with some good tracks. Somehow it seems more 'polished' than the first album but in being so has lost, in my view, some of that raw emotion that I loved about the first album. However it is still definitely worth buying if you liked the first album.

A good follow up to their first album from former Dixie Chicks. Some very good writing and just enough moving on from The Dixie Chicks without being too far away from their origins.I won't review this album track by track, but if you're consideing buying this, are a fan of this genre then you won't be dissapointed.

Yet another great album !!

The sisters from the Dixie Chicks are talented musicians and singers, and this is a good production, and a clear step forward from their first album. To see them at their very best though, they need to be reunited with Natalie Maines - roll on the C2C concert at the O2 in March !!!