Amy Martin – Travelin’ On (Self Released)

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Amy Martin grew up on Virginia, a queer Christian singing in a bluegrass band.

After fronting Many Nights Ahead for almost decade, Amy pulled up stakes and headed west, moving to Denver, Colorado in 2021.

Now a solo artist, Amy has released Travelin’ On, a seven-track album (or EP) produced by Chance McCoy, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show.

Chance and Amy recorded these songs in the back east in the Shenandoah Valley of West Virginia but this is no nostalgic look back home.

Antebellum Town, the opening track, sets the tone. Though the music is bouncy and bright, highlighted by Austin Shfflett’s harmonica, the lyrics tell a story of leaving a ‘racist town’ and finding a new beginning with ‘progressive friends’.

For non-Americans reading this, Antebellum is a word generally used to refer to a time before the Civil War.

Politics aside, one thing I think anyone can agree on is that Amy Martin has a voice that needs to be heard, yet she knows when to pull back and let the lyrics speak for themselves.

In Dance With You she ‘dreams in colours except when she’s blue’ while a piano plays behind her, while Chamomile & Whiskey is a good old fashion country waltz about ‘old waitress in a diner’ and a Rocky Mountain high (a recurring theme these days).

It’s All Right documents a broken marriage possibly signaled by an old Dylan tune.

Martin really shows off her vocal chops on Good Morning Beautiful  and then we close with the bluesy/bluegrassy Where The Devil’s Found giving mandolin, fiddle and harmonica each an opportunity to shine one last time.

Clocking in at just under 21 minutes Travelin’ On certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome. A bit more might be nice, but what’s here sounds mighty fine.

Marty Duda

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Marty Duda
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