So last night I sat in as a DJ on my old college radio station and picked a bunch of new stuff out of their current stacks; the one that got both my own attention and several curious callers asking "who is that?" was the new solo CD from Amanda Shires, West Cross Timbers. Her second solo disc, it's heavily influenced by her duo partner, Rod Picott, with whom she has also recorded several albums in the past few years.

Shires' vocals really take center stage this time, with Picott a presence mainly via sympathetic production. Though she remains an empathetic fiddle player, it's those warbling, soft-yet-strong pipes of hers that make people sit up and pay attention when she sings, I think. Check out the live version of the new CD's "Put Me To Bed" in this clip, or listen to the whole album at CD Baby here.