Amanda Shires’ ‘Take It Like a Man’ Finds Its Power in Proud Vulnerability: Album Review
variety.comChris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticThat pose that Amanda Shires strikes on the cover of “Take It Like a Man” — is it the look of allure, or alarm?
Even after some time spent with the record therein, it still seems like it could be either. The singer-songwriter-violinist kicks off her seventh solo release with “Hawk for the Dove,” about as broodingly carnal a track as you’re going to hear this year.
Shires then follows that sensual starter with nine more songs that are mostly about what happens after the thrill is gone. That kind of bracing writing can be a thrill unto itself, as it turns out.It’s an album about the midterms — the relationship midterms — and describing it as forthright scarcely begins to do it justice.
Suffice it to say for starters that any couples currently in counseling could probably benefit from just bringing “Take It Like a Man'” into their next appointment and starting the session by letting it play out at full length, even if there wouldn’t be a huge amount of time left for talking after its 37 minutes are up.
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