Customer Reviews

Pretty Runs Out

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4 star:		(3)
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Fiddle wizard Amanda Shaw has been in at least four movies, and has played to huge crowds at the New Orleans Jazzfest every year since she was seven or eight years old. Now she's seventeen, and has put out a disk that adults can enjoy.

She is a true Anti-Britney. She gave up Disney, and a chance at being Hannah Montana (the role might have been written about Amanda's life) to focus on real music, not corporate pablum, and the ability to determine her own musical course. Her band members are all about three times her age -- but Amanda plays and sings with the authority to lead the band, both on-stage and in the studio. She clearly intends on having a lifelong career as well, and has passed on opportunities for fleeting stardom in order to pursue such a course.

New Orleans music has alot of hidden gems -- and Amanda Shaw is clearly one of them.

Amanda Shaw is a huge talent waiting to be discovered by the rest of the country. Her latest cd is an excellent example of of her vastly varied talents. She has a superb voice, which she can alter to match the material, something not found that often these days. Additionally, she has the unique ability to match her amazing fiddle playing talent with songs that truly bridge the gap between bonofide cajun and modern pop. And last, but not least, is her wonderful song writing talent, which has shown that she has her feet firmly planted on the ground and a maturity way beyound her years. And if that is not enough, she has a superb band that can support and really bring to life any musical genre Miss Shaw should choose to perform. If she is not invited to the the Grand 'Ol Opry or her music played on national country stations soon, it won't be from lack of talent, but an industry afraid to broaden its horizons.

I first saw her on the tv special 'Dancing Down to New Orleans', when she was much younger and performed 'Little Black Dog', which though a simple tune has always stuck in my head.

Recently after making plans to fly back to New Orleans for the '08 Jazzfest, I discovered that she would be closing the 'Fais Do Do' stage, the last Sunday of the event. I eventually decided to pass up the Neville Brothers and Al Green in favor of her performance. I was very anxious to see how she had matured as a performer. Wow! I enjoy blue grass, cajun, and other southern music, but Miss Shaw is something else. She puts on an incredible show and bridges all generational gaps and a variety of musical genres. It was my first time at the Jazzfest and although there were many great groups performing there, Miss Shaw topped the event for me and definitely made the trip and expense more than worthwhile.

I've been a fan of Amanda Shaw for 4 years, I believe, since I first saw her at the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans. Although she was just 13 at the time, she led her band with a confidence that was stunning. Now, with her major label debut on Rounder, the world can get a sense of her abilities.

This CD makes a point of giving a broad introduction to Amanda. There are traditional Cajun fiddle songs, sultry ballads, rockers, etc. On each cut, she shines. Do yourself a favor and pick up this CD -- you'll be sharing it with all your friends within days! Highly recommended!

Amanda Shaw's new album "Pretty Runs Out" is a wonderful collection of music. It's difficult to classify this music into a genre because Shaw has created a truly unique musical experience here. Is this country, blues, pop, rock, bluegrass, ...? It's none of them and all of them at the same time.

Don't trust this review though, go listen to some of the samples yourself.

And if you love the fiddle, you are in for a remarkable listening experience!

Year 2008's "Pretty Runs Out" CD is the predecessor of Amanda Shaw's excellent 2010 CD "Good Southern Girl". This is a 'must have' for Amanda fans. On this one the good southern girl was giving us a taste of the great stuff that was on the way...

The music on this CD varies from cajon, to popular. But all the songs are recorded excellently with awesome sound. Amanda Shaw is going to the top as she continues to produce music that one never tires of listening to. Well worth the investment of having a neatly packaged gift from Amanda Shaw to have in your music collection.

Saw her live in a New Orleans bar. Her fiddle playing is just extraordinary; and there were a couple of times when it sounded like Bonnie Raitt's slide guitar in terms of unique music tone and melody. Voice and showmanship are still a bit of a work in progress, but already quite good. She'll be around for a long time if the road doesn't kill her enthusiasm. Pretty Runs Out is one of her relatively recent works (recording for quite a while despite her youth), but judging by her live performance she's continuing to improve.

I first saw Amanda Shaw on the TV show After The Catch, where Amanda and her band played going into and coming out of each commercial. I thought she was awesome and loved her sound. I bought the CD and although there is nothing wrong with the music, it didn't have that spark that she displayed on the TV show. This album is very poppy ( and I love pop), but I was looking for the raw New Orleans/Cajun music I had seen. She tends to sound like Gwen Stefani. Her fiddle playing is top notch, but gets lost in theses glossy tunes.

wow I was not expecting that sound. I dont even know what its called but its bluesy, I like it but I will never buy it.

I used to hear "Little Black Dog" on WWOZ. This isn't the same. Still Cajun influenced but more mature. After I got over it not being LBD, I really liked it, as does my 8 year old, violin-playing daughter - for whom it was a present.