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Unbroken: Not broken. Whole, intact. Not subdued. Untamed. Continuous. Amy Martin's second release - which comes just a year after her debut, "To You" - couldn't be more aptly named. "Unbroken" is a return to the wild. Its thirteen songs plumb the internal wildernesses of this emerging songwriter while audibly reflecting the mountain landscape she calls home. Recorded outside in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley (fans of "To You" will recall the song by that name), the songs on "Unbroken" are presented with their skeletons showing. The only instruments used are Amy's expressive vocals and guitar, with some back-up from the creatures which inhabit her outdoor "studio." Listeners who have grown weary of slick studio productions will be delighted by this recording. It opens with a simple, haunting chant, sung a capella, which immediately establishes intimacy, invites her audience in and alerts them to the fact that this is no ordinary CD. With her feet thus planted on the ground, Amy explodes into the stratosphere with the second song, "Soar," which tells the story of her move to Montana in 1999: "I'm heading to Montana this morning I don't know what I'll find there But it feels like I might find something Those mountains might be strong enough to hold me Those rivers might be wild enough to free me Those skies might be big enough for me to soar..." Sharing stories and even laughter in between songs, Amy inquires into the nature of happiness in "Hey Happy": "Hey Happy Give me your name Why have you been sitting there All quiet and shy Have I not been listening?" holds a bluesy conversation with a "tough love" goddess in "Soul Food": "I just can't stop asking If I'm good enough If I'm worthy of love She just puts her hands On her big ol' hips She says, 'Well girl, what do you think?'" and pays homage to various landscapes in which she has found comfort in "Limestone": "And countless afternoons With the city rushing past me My body was concrete My mind the freeway But steady, steady lay the lake Pounding out its rhythm 'I am your heartbeat, These stones are your bones'" From the subtle, heart-wrenching story of "Appaloosa" to the gleeful release of "Three Good Rides," Amy demonstrates that the depth, versatility and maturity of her first recording were no fluke. Indeed, there is evidence that these qualities are growing stronger in this unique songwriter. In a genre rich with talent, Amy Martin is one to watch. Check out the artist's website: http://www.amymartin.org Track List: 1. Nothing 2. Soar 3. Hey Happy 4. Appaloosa 5. Take Me Quick 6. Soul Food 7. A Rebel at the Grave 8. Queen Anne's Lace 9. Limestone 10. Time for Promises 11. Grace 12. Three Good Rides 13. Gentle as the Moon Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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