Amee Chapman

Local singer-songwriter Amee Chapman refers to her full-throated take on Americana as "sagebrush soul," a fitting term for her earthy and textured approach. Proud daughter of a California that has gone astray, Chapman's working class background and her respect for the state's oft-forgotten rural denizens mark her as a songwriter with a distinctive voice. Chapman shows a refreshing willingness to push musical boundaries, referencing muscular rock & roll, the expansive sonic textures of Wilco and the faded beauty associated with her pal Jolie Holland's torch songs. Chapman is a brave artist who appears to be poised for bigger things. - Santa Cruz Weekly

Chapman's songs and sound paint big sky backdrops on which she casts the shadows of various folk in tender moments of melancholy and hopefulness. - Milesofmusic.com

Amee Chapman hits the bottle three times on her five-song, rock demo. Whiskey is a metaphor for those occasions when love leaves her dumbstruck. On the heartbreakingly poignant "Leavin' Me Today" she needs whiskey to curb the chill of a lover's sudden departure. On "Wishing Well" she takes a drink to quell the anticipation of a pending rendezvous. The reckless spirit of Jack Kerouac haunts "Down on South Lamar" as Chapman finds herself trading shots with a "band of orphaned hearts" in the Texas night, content, even as "California is closing in." Chapman's songs are superb; fearless, yet sentimental. Her band stands their ground, maintaining Live & Otherwise as a bold rock record. Chapman comes off like Lucinda Williams fronting Pearl Jam. - Dean Blaine

'What a great record this is...One of my Top 10 CDs of 2004.' ~James Meyers - Puremusic.com

Gaining an honest buzz in SF is Amee Chapman, a singer/songwriter with a voice that can melt polar ice caps. - Cafe du Nord Webmaster

Amee Chapman is a Northern California native steeped in the roots of American music. Her third release, Still Life, is a collection of beautiful, intimate sketches that tell tales of the lonely and wounded. These songs--co-written with Nichole Robbins and backed by a bevy of San Francisco musicians, including Mother Hips’ John Hofer and vocalist Jolie Holland--showcase Chapman’s versatile songwriting vision. She moves from the country waltz of “Softest Spots” and the quiet violin melodies of “Seaward Jack” to the Sheryl Crow sounds of “Tattoo Cowboy.” But it’s songs like “Still Life of a Man”--with its subtly abrasive, ambient Wilco-esque background--and the simple Mazzy Star-styled guitar lines of “Wishing Well” that show Chapman’s willingness to break from the traditional folksinger mold. - Sacramento News & Review

Amee Chapman is a Northern California native steeped in the roots of American music. Her third release, Still Life, is a collection of beautiful, intimate sketches that tell tales of the lonely and wounded. These songs--co-written with Nichole Robbins and backed by a bevy of San Francisco musicians, including Mother Hips’ John Hofer and vocalist Jolie Holland--showcase Chapman’s versatile songwriting vision. She moves from the country waltz of “Softest Spots” and the quiet violin melodies of “Seaward Jack” to the Sheryl Crow sounds of “Tattoo Cowboy.” But it’s songs like “Still Life of a Man”--with its subtly abrasive, ambient Wilco-esque background--and the simple Mazzy Star-styled guitar lines of “Wishing Well” that show Chapman’s willingness to break from the traditional folksinger mold. - Sacramento News & Review