Nurse that I am, I was glad to hear Amy Courts’ second independent release, “These Cold and Rusted Lungs” was no sonic diary of some artist’s tuberculin strain, but an anthem praising the rejuvenating work of God in granting a fallen creature flight from depths to heights of joy in singing thanks to her Maker. Something more Sarah Masen than Mr. Manson rests on its delicate acoustic framework as Amy’s big, BIG voice takes listeners through its mostly simple, always-impressive melodic collection of stories and moments with God since her debut EP two years ago.

Since ‘06 Amy’s had much to write about. She’s married and become a step-mother, has traded her day job for a full-time musical one, and has been lending her voice and passions as an artist sponsor for an organization supporting Ugandans. With so many experiences to draw from on a daily basis, Amy reached deep into the realization of her only-one life and decided to give back in song what she’d found there in herself.

Like most of us, though we are usually too inept or afraid to say so, she found doubt, lies, prayer, God, the joy and incessancy of her own breath, some darkness; and she found light, faith, hope, and love, all fast-bound and steady, anchored in the deeper waters of her inner truth. There are a few moments of especially emotive quality in the tune “In You.” It was in these moments that Amy’s journey became one with my journey.

With Amy, above all, I enjoy the reach. I appreciate the gall to dig into self and expose what is there, good or bad, right or wrong, rusted lungs, mud puddle, peace.

What is above all else her spiritual journey, Amy’s “Lungs” is a little weak on the lyrics, and though it is mature in its melodies, too frequent, too simple accompaniment may make a good album a one time listen. Highlights, and where I kept wishing to hear the artist spend more of her energies, were the rockier, driving, fuller band backed numbers, “The Liars” and “In You.”

Buy this CD for your female vocal major friends or any one wishing a walk with acoustic folk, girl rock.

Artist: Amy Courts
Album: These Cold and Rusted Lungs
Release Date: July 29, 2008
Our Rating: 6.5/10

Tags: Acoustic, Amy Court, CCM, melodic, Sarah Masen, Vocalist

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 11:11 am and is filed under Album Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.