Asheville North Carolina was memorably described by Austin Lucas as a blue oasis in a sea of red during a gig in 2016 at The Moth. It is also the home of Amanda Anne Platt who makes music beautiful in appeal while independent by nature. On The Ones That Stay she uses a raft of experience derived from seven previous feast-laden albums to reflect her current situation in a celebrated eighth.
A dozen seemingly effortlessly delivered songs gently roll along instantly finding a groove. Within the content exists serenely cultured songwriting, lushly sung and genuinely wrapped reflecting the perceptive poise of the lyrics. Alongside her band the Honeycutters, always credited in the title, Platt’s time in the studio reflects a traditional way of recording with occasional reminders of minimal takes left in to add an air of authenticity.
Eleven of the select dozen are originals with the odd one out being a curve ball. The band lift ‘On the Street Where You Live’ straight out of the movies and give it a wonderful country makeover. ‘The Lesson’ is the album high with a great melody within lavish verses. ‘The Muse of Time’ runs it close alongside the excellent scene setting ‘Mirage’ and the poignant ‘Forever’.
The Ones That Stay is a record soaked in the aromatic senses of sounds drawn from a deep well of sweet folk, country & Americana music. Amanda Anne Platt and the Honneycutters continue to serve tasty gems from that fertile hotbed in the Deep South.