Fervor Coulee Bluegrass Blog

Amanda Cook- Restless Soul

Donald Teplyske  |  November 22, 2024

Amanda Cook Restless Soul (Mountain Fever Records)

Are women on an equal footing in bluegrass yet?

I suspect not although miles of progress has been made the past two decades.

Looking at the most recent Bluegrass Today monthly 'singles' chart, only five female-fronted acts are represented. Still, that is likely more than we would have seen in 1999.

Amanda Cook is on there with "Devil's Looking Glass" from Restless Soul making its debut. Written by mandolin player Troy Boone, it is a fine song of mountain legend and mystery very well-executed here by Cook and her touring band. Boone's mando notes are crisp, and Cook's voice provides a wispy mood.

This is the first Amanda Cook album I've encountered, so I'm late to the game. It is an impressive one with a contemporary bluegrass sound solidly rooted in the traditions of the music. There are moments when I'm favourably reminded of Rhonda Vincent, especially on a pair of Jennifer Strickland Zapolnik songs, "Goodbye" and "Put Me Away."

I tend to appreciate albums created with touring bands—in my mind, that's the way it should be done. Featured throughout the recording are George Mason (fiddle), Josh Faul (bass), Brady Wallen (guitar and harmony), Boone (mandolin and harmony), and Carolyne Van Lierop (banjo, lead and harmony vocals) with Cook sticking to singing.

Across these ten songs, several stand out including the lead single "Last Road Going Home," a Harley Allen song Grasstowne and Lou Reid have recorded. Tim Stafford and Thomas Cassell's "Mitchell Mullins" is memorable for any number of reasons: Cook's fiery lead voices, a compelling narrative open to interpretation, Van Lierop's banjo and Mason's fiddling—it's a keeper, a terrific performance.

I will seldom complain hearing a heart song as powerful as Tom T. Hall and Henry Lawson's "The Water Lily," and that holds true here. Bravely taking on the Ernie Thacker-led, Ralph Stanley song, Cook accelerates the rhythm by several BPM while maintaining the song's ancient tones.

A great bluegrass song will make the rounds, as is the case with "Try to Catch the Wind"; previously done by Nu-Blue, Shannon Slaughter, and others, a song with a solid metaphor is always appreciated and the Amanda Cook Band nails their interpretation of the Mark Brinkman song; I guess we can call it a standard already.

Amanda Cook has a strong and distinctive voice and singing style. "Restless Soul" is an enjoyable album with inspiring instrumentation, well-considered song choices, and arrangements allowing the players to shine alongside their impressively voiced leader.

I look forward to paying greater attention to Amanda Cook's music.