Innumerable female singer songwriters have surfaced in recent years. In fact, the singer songwriter genre has seen something of an explosion. And in parallel, a never-ending procession of fiddle / violin playing ladies have emerged from the Nashville scene.

Amanda Shires is one of the latest off that ‘production line' with Carrying Lightning - the follow up to her 2009 debut West Cross Timbers, an album that reached # 21 on the Americana Music Association charts.

So, the question is, what if anything is likely to separate Amanda Shires from the pack? Well, firstly, there's her light and breathy vocals that have an enchanting twang and vibrato that surfaces hints of a young Dolly Parton.

Then there's her haunting / mournful fiddle / violin playing, and finally her ability to write a decent alt country / Americana tune.

The result is an album not a million miles removed from the stage occupied by Lisa Hannigan. Amanda Shires is marginally more country and her material slightly more commercial, but she's definitely in the same zone. And with Lisa Hannigan's profile rising rapidly on both sides of the Atlantic that's no bad place to be.

****

Review by Pete Whalley