Coast Weekly, June 18 1999
Reviewer: Chuck Thurman 

Trying to describe almost any of the many singer/songwriter types who come through 
town is tough.  Some, of course, drop predictably into one category or another, but 
the whole point of the "s&s"  movement is the freedom to create music that flows 
most naturally from each musician's soul, right?  but even given the general difficulty 
presented by the genre, AMILIA K SPICER stands out as a particularly tough pigeon to 
force into a hole.

Although most of the songs (all written by Spicer) are arranged for guitar/drums/bass/keyboard, 
most of the recordings on her release, Like an Engine, sound much fuller. almost orchestral 
in some places.  Spicer's husky voice rolls languorously, building and releasing between breaks 
like slow love at a summer sunset.  Although there are far too many pop and rock influences 
(from the Who to some Eagles-ish backup to Bruce Springsteen and beyond) to make a direct 
comparison, there's something about Spicer's delivery that is reminiscent of a French chanteuse 
in a smoky, candle-lit cafe.

Spicer's music is very theatrical and, in its own quiet way, refuses to be played as 
background music.  That's a good thing because many of Spicer's lyrics are worth hearing 
as poetry, sometimes painful, sometimes playful.  In "Queen for Hire", Spicer sings, 

"God laid a hand on me and said child what is it that you've done
You've kept me up all night while you were out there having fun
It's not that I object to your imagination
I just think that I deserve a little more appreciation..."

And in "I Knew a Man", she pulsates ,

"I knew a man- hung his hat where he lived and danced in the rain, 
said there was nothing more.   
I knew a man- said his prayers and he climbed into bed
waited for love to climb in".


And in the slinkily suggestive plea to a fading lover, "Come Over Me", she croons,
There's no anger
There's no pain
oh, no dialudid
I've got a feeling down in my Mexico
Taste my tequila, you can't get your own....