Amilia K Spicer's songs have equal parts ache and grit, with topography that covers farmlands, quirky roadside stops, and an occasional turn down a dark alley with flickering neon. Raised in rural Pennsylvania, currently residing in California, she fuses together all the places she calls home. Wanderlust spills from her songs, influenced by Texas troubadours, Tibetan mountain tops, and Hollywood bars. Or, as she might say with a slight drawl: “Water, wine and whiskey”.
It should surprise no one that Spicer pursued a career in film before music became her muse, and has directed the three music videos currently released with singles. “Harlan”, her latest, follows her to the Kentucky birthplace of her father, intertwined with Pennsylvania landscapes. It follows the critically acclaimed releases "Fill Me Up" and "Lightning", the latter of which she shot mostly underwater in hotel pools while touring. AXS said of the “Lightning” video: “Mesmerizing… Reminiscent of the work of songstress and music video innovator Lana Del Rey, it's a testament to the notion that DIY methods can produce some extraordinary results."
The dichotomy of shadow and light, small town wonder with a keen edge, are in her sonics as well as the screen.
Contributors to Wow and Flutter include Stones/Dylan bassist Daryl Johnson, Wallflowers/Foo Fighters keyboardist Rami Jaffee, Bonnie Raitt/Taj Mahal keyboardist Mike Finnigan, pedal steel player Eric Heywood (Son Volt), guitarists Tony Gilkyson (X, Lone Justice), Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams). Spicer produced; multi-instrumentalist Steve McCormick co-produced, and engineered. Spicer enlisted Malcolm Burn to mix: “Malcolm has worked on so many of my favorite records of all time. I was honored he wanted to be involved.”
During the making of Wow and Flutter, she took a few detours, including producing tracks for auspicious compilations such as “A Case for Case”, alongside John Prine, Joe Ely, Dave Alvin and many other lauded names in the Americana landscape; Becoming one of the most downloaded tracks on the Neil Young tribute, “Cinnamon Girl”, with her version of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”. She has also contributed a rendition of “Silent Night” for a benefit Holiday CD, with Jackson Browne, Billy Idol and others, built on a drum loop from the late Richie Hayward of Little Feat.