Amos Lee album review

Amos Lee – Amos Lee

Label: Blue Note

Sharing the same record label as Norah Jones, Amos Lee's self titled debut album is quite frankly a breath of fresh air. In todays over produced almost non-human market Amos retains all of the qualities that make music remembered. Picture the scene! Chilling out with your feet upon the sofa. Your eyes close and then you are taken away upon every note and by the end of the journey you feel wholesome. That is how this Album made me feel.

To categorise Amos is not as easy as one may suggest. The opening track "Keep it loose, keep it tight" is a gentle rollercoaster of a ride. From the start his voice comes through in waves so soulful and pure, carried along upon a bluesy acoustic tide. The second track "Seen it all before" has a vintage soulfulness that slightly resembles Al Green's classic "How can you mend a broken heart?". The next track "Arms of a woman" shows yearning and the heartfelt trembles of the wonderful Otis Redding and encapsulates the same feel of Otis's "These arms of mine" but with a distinct Amos touch. Other highlights on what is a wonderful album, include "Bottom of the barrel" a foot tapping acoustic blues track, that makes you feel like you are transported to some southern state tapping your feet drinking Jack Daniels, as Amos sits upon a rocking chair playing and singing for you only.  A more melancholic blues vibe is captured in the wonderful "Dreamin" so lazy you can almost imagine yourself on a long dusty road alone, but rambling on. And one of the albums highlights is the superb and heart endearing "Colours" Norah Jones on piano creates a bold and evocative back drop for Amos Lee's laid back guitar work in a song that somehow you know means so much to Amos that it moves you deeply as it rises and falls with such grace.

If I was to recommend an album for the easy listener then in my humble opinion this is a real gem. Perfect for relaxing or curling up on the sofa with a loved one. If you are a fan of Al Green, Otis Redding, Van Morrison and even Norah Jones you will truly fall in love with this album. My biggest testament is relationships of now will connect to Amos and in ten years time lovers will call his songs there own.

10/10 Fantastic!

Reviewed by David Cannon