How many times have I told myself to stop listening to sad songs? More than I can count. And yet, here I am again—hooked, haunted, emotionally side-swiped by another one. “Amarillo” by The Beveled Edges didn’t just sneak up on me, it dragged me in with velvet gloves and then punched me square in the gut. In the most graceful way possible.
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This is a song that sits somewhere between the soft melancholy of bossa nova and the theatrical heartbreak of Roy Orbison’s “Crying.” It sways and aches. Shelly Bhushan’s voice is front and center, and it works. Every word sounds like it’s costing her something. And I mean that in the best way.
Instrumentally, “Amarillo” is deceptive. At first glance, it’s gentle, almost breezy. Anthony Lanni’s guitar work has that liquid Latin shimmer, pulling from Brazilian and soul traditions without ever feeling derivative. But underneath the sweetness, there’s tension. There’s heat. It’s a sad song in a sundress, walking through a thunderstorm pretending she’s fine.
SCORE: 8/10
Poignant, elegant, and emotionally sharp. This one’s gonna linger.
Indie Boulevard Magazine 