I have two incredible albums to bring to your attention this week, actually four, but more on that later. 
Let’s get right to it with an act that’s coming to Bath’s Chocolate Church tonight, it’s singer-songwriter-pianist Vienna Teng and I am so impressed with her latest album on Zoe/Rounder Records titled “Inland Territory,” this is her fourth CD (released on April 7) but it is the first one I’ve ever experienced.  As I traveled to Portland to meet John Hammond and decided to get into this week’s CDs in greater depth, it was then I discovered how amazing  Teng’s latest project really is. Her pristine soprano voice is in the forefront and backed by everything from hand claps/foot stomps to a full string orchestra over the 50-minute run of the 12 tracks.
There’s a majesty present that is only heightened by her stellar lyrical integrity, challenging arrangements and rhythmic piano-driven pop … and then there’s that stunning cover art. All told, I sit in awe of Vienna Teng, just wish I could make it to Bath to catch her live. I’d love to hear her do “Grandmother Song,”  “The Last Snowfall,” “Antebellum,” “Augustine,” “St. Stephen’s Cross” and the haunting “In Another Life” in the acoustic purity of the Chocolate Church. 
The other two artists coming to Maine are Rod Picott and Amanda Shires and they’ll be at Slates in Hallowell Monday night.  Picott is from Maine originally but now resides in Nashville. He’s has five albums out, his latest is called “Summerbirds” (2007 on Welding Rod Records).  Amanda Shires is from Texas and, at 16, was playing fiddle with The Texas Playboys. Since then she’s been in demand as a side player, and released a couple of solo projects (the latest of which is 2008’s “West Coast Timbers”). 
Together, these two unlikely musicians first met at the Folk Alliance Conference in Austin, Texas, in 2006 and have become a world-traveling, world-class duet and recently released their first-ever duo project, “Sew Your Heart with Wires,” which will thrill any Americana lover with it’s complete acoustic presentation. It’s made up of his guitar, her fiddle and Ukulele and their combined voices.
The songs were all co-written by both artists and range from a murder ballad (“Little Darlin’”) to an outlaw narrative (“Ruby”) to a gospel piece (“When You Get Your Story Told”).  Actually, this all-too-brief collection (it clocks in at 33 minutes) is perfect in that it’ll be very easy to recreate while they are on tour … and, let’s face it, it’ll be exactly like what folks will hear at that popular Hallowell eatery next Monday night. 
— Lucky Clark