Court Yard Hounds To Release Amelita In July

The post-Dixie Chicks group featuring sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire known as the Court Yard Hounds announced they will release Amelita, their follow-up to their debut self-titled album, on July 16 via Columbia Records. Jim Scott has helmed the producer role for both albums.

"I think we’ve approached it differently because we felt like okay, we are a band," Maguire said to Billboard about the album. "We aren’t just two ex-Dixie Chicks anymore, we’re a band and we like our sound and we’re going to continue to do this and hopefully get better at it, and share something new this time around."

Robison said her 2008 divorce inspired her to open up to new ideas for the set. "I think it’s not only a more hopeful album, but it’s more… well fun."

"Much like their debut, Robison takes lead vocals on most of the album's 11 tracks, while Maguire sings lead on "Guy Like You," which she co-wrote with Martin Strayer, the album's guitarist (and Robison's boyfriend). The first single is "Sunshine," co-written by Jonatha Brooke, Alex Dezen and Strayer. The album's existence was actually revealed back in February by the duo's Dixie Chicks bandmate Natalie Maines on the red carpet of the annual MusiCares gala." via Billboard

Amelita Track Listing:
Sunshine
Amelita
The World Smiles
Aimless Upward
A Guy Like You
Rock All Night
Phoebe
Divided
Gets You Down
Watch Your Step
The Road You Take