Whereas Audra Mae’s initial album, 2010’s The Happiest Lamb, boasted this gloamy, lightly swinging throwback appeal, the addition of the Almighty Sound gooses her into sizzling new soul-packed places. This self-titled album, set for release on February 14 courtesy of Side One Dummy, is still shaped by her dark and scuffed-up vocals — in particular on tracks like the hook-filled “Ne’ver Do Wells,” the chug-a-lugging “The Real Thing” and the hauntingly romantic “Old Italian Love Song.” Fresh off playing select dates with Matt Nathanson, the Almighty Sound certainly lives up to its name throughout, making a glorious racket behind this talented Okie singer-songwriter. The album, meanwhile, was co-produced by Deana Carter — whose debut Did I Shave My Legs for This? sold 5 million copies in the mid-1990s. My only complaint? They left off a cool-rocking version of Tom Petty’s “Breakdown” from last fall’s advance EP.
‘Half Notes’ are quick-take thoughts on music from Something Else! Reviews, presented whenever the mood strikes us.
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