Amy Cook: Let the Light In

Amy Cook

Thankfully the Central Texas drought has passed, because a cold shower's in order after airing out Let the Light In. Passions run deep on Amy Cook's fifth LP. In a smoky voice just short of a rasp, yet capable of hitting that magic girlie note, Cook dresses her self-assured AAA songwriting sensibilities in a wife-beater. Luxuriating opener "Get It Right" kicks off with a Lucinda Williams-like salutation, "Hey there you with the easy eyes," and the fact that first-time producer Alejandro Escovedo could sing that line with the same sense of Stanley Kowalski speaks to the perfect meeting of musical minds here between artist and producer. That extends to the band and its guests, the former including Escovedo guitarist David Pulkingham and string arrangements by Stephen Barber, and Patty Griffin and Tosca String Quartet standing out in the latter credits. The producer lends his only harmonies to second track "Moonrise," a red-light district romantic dirge straight out of the swamp. Antidote "Hotel Lights" glows next on night guitars lit with strings and Cook's intimate yearn, while "Mescaline" burns incandescent even as back-to-back followers "Let's Go Down to the River" and "Saltwater" attempt to quench such desires. Whispered intimacy ("I Like to Go to the Parties") meets ice cream melodicism ("Strange Birds"), and "I Wanna Be Your Marianne" imagines Leonard Cohen with the Stooges. Not a misstep here, so watch for hot coals and burning embers.