Description
Inspired by Lawrence Rothman (who co-wrote, produced, and played on the album) Shires wanted a fresh start to her musical career. She decided to mine her personal struggles and write honestly about things in a direct fashion. The best, most affecting song was also the first she wrote, acting as a breakthrough for Shires. “Fault Lines” is a powerful look into marital struggles it just so happens her other half, Jason Isbell, is playing guitar on the track. The anchor of the record, “Fault Lines” uses scaled-back vocals around confessional lyrics, ghostly guitar warbles, and rich production reminiscent of The War On Drugs while Shires delves into the known and unknown of her relationship issues.
In the past Shires has been more renowned for her fiddle, which she uses expertly on the tense opener “Hawk For A Dove”, but it is her role as lead vocalist throughout that is the positive direction Shires is trending in.
While some top-notch friends support and her husband Isbell plays excellent guitar throughout, Shires is clearly stepping into her own with Take It Like A Man, an album of struggle, rebirth and grappling with insecurities and uncertainness while keeping the will to progress as a couple and individual artist alive.
