Amazing Ordinary Things

Album Review

With a lovely voice, Anne McCue fills Amazing Ordinary Things with some of both — some amazing, some ordinary — ultimately falling somewhere in the middle of the road, though not for lack of trying. The opening track "Motherlode" is an instantly lovable ode pulsing with bright acoustic guitars and delicate rhythms, with melancholic violin lines and soft harmonies lending a touch of yearning to round out the moody textures. Given the chance, it would surely sit well alongside songs by Mae Moore, Mary Black, and Heidi Berry. A number of the other tunes aren't quite so straightforward and accessible, unfortunately leaning them toward the more ordinary side of the fence. Nevertheless, the effort and courage certainly shows as McCue tries on different styles to see what fits best, tossing in some light jazz, rock, and Latin flourishes here and there. Alas, it's on the simple pieces where she hits the amazing mark. Like "Motherlode," "More Than This" and "Walking Devotion" are gorgeously tender patchworks of melody and emotion. And "Riding Away" nicely fills the role of mid-tempo, radio-ready track. Overall, McCue offers up enough good stuff to make Amazing Ordinary Things a pleasant listen.