Dancing about architecture

There is an old saying that writing about music is like dancing about architecture. It's impossible to actually grasp all of the intricacies of a musical piece by typing into a laptop. Which is probably true but let's face it, it's not like I haven't tried the impossible before. And a million to one shot happens 6,000 times a day on this planet so I feel pretty confident in working towards being a critic.

Here are two pieces I've written about Maggie Walters, someone you haven't heard of but should know about. The best time to listen to an artist is right when they are starting out, when you can watch them take their first steps. The first review is a review of her 5 song demo and the second is a review of her debut cd (available at www.cdbaby.com). Trust me, when you step away from the mainstream sometimes you find gold.


(5 song demo review)

Every once in a while you stumble upon an artist who is just beginning to understand her gift. It is like finding a pearl when it is simply a grain of sand. Maggie Lee Walters is one of those artists.

Her voice carries with it a weight that goes far beyond her years. One moment it is dark and mysterious, lingering with the insight of someone who has peered into the shadows of life. Other times she sings with a wry smile and enticing voice, drawing you closer with every line. And her voice is always clear and free, like the Kansas skies that she once called home.

She sings of stepping out into the world, leaving the familiar behind only to be faced with shades of gray. She sings of those intoxicating first few moments of a relationship, when desire mixes with fear and you can only ask yourself if you are ready for the unknown. She sings of finding the right person and waiting for the answer that may never come. But more than anything she sings of life and of the pitfalls one encounters along the way.

Whether you wish to define her style as Folk or Americana or No Depression she has the lyrical and vocal skills to warrant your attention. She deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Tift Merritt and Laura Minor, Beth Orton and Caitlin Cary, and one day soon, when she truly finds her voice, Emmylou Harris. In just a few songs Maggie has earned the right to be included amongst the group of young singer-songwriters who hold up a mirror to the world and find joy amidst the shadows.

More than anything, Maggie’s songs find a place in your soul that can’t be removed. They stay with you and reappear when you least expect it. As she sings on Be Careful Love, “I probably won’t remember you but baby you’ll remember me.”

Remember Maggie Lee Walters. You’ll hear her voice again.



A Breath of Fresh Air

Independence is a virtue in music today. With people like Ashlee Simpson polluting the airwaves it’s tougher to find voices that are not pre-packaged into bite sized morsels of blandness. Maggie Walters is a breath of fresh air in this environment, a unique voice who sings of love and confusion and of the moments when you truly realize who you are. With the help of musicians who have supported everyone from Alejandro Escovedo to Eric Johnson to the Dixie Chicks she’s created a strong first disc formed from an amalgam of styles, alternating between the blues of Spin to the funk beat of Ann Marie to a singer-songwriter classic in Shades of Gray. I’ve listened to a number of artists who have emerged from the Austin scene and other parts of the Americana universe and Maggie’s disc stands up to any of them. Definitely worth checking out.