Their album opens with their chart-topping single “You Know That I Would,” featuring Amanda’s gorgeous voice on lead. It is followed by the equally bird “Nightbird,” where Kenny joins Amanda on harmonies and they produce a true musical event.
The title track “Unbound” is mid-tempo and crystalline, and equally refreshing is “I Don’t Want to Fall,” which features stunning acoustic instrumentation. “Something Missing” is another gentle performance, where their vocals are reminiscent of Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski of Alison Krauss and Union Station respectively. They pick up the pace of the record with “Wherefore and Why,” and they change it up again with the slow-moving ballad “Hills of Logan County.”
“Reaching Out” is infectious, which will make the listener clap along, and Kenny does a solid job singing lead on the melancholic “Preaching My Own Funeral.” “Every Pilgrim Needs a Highway” is upbeat and impressive, and they slow it down yet again with the ballad “There Was a Time.” The CD closes with the lonesome “Getting Used to the Pain” and “Tea Party,” where Kenny sings lead, coupled with Amanda’s harmony.
The Verdict
Overall, Amanda and Kenny Smith are excellent on their latest studio effort Unbound. Amanda has one of those rare voices, where she could sing the phone book and make it sound awesome. The CD garners an A rating for the husband and wife duo.
