| Amos Lee — Spirit (16 August 2016) |
Amos Lee — Spirit (16 August 2016)
•≈ Písničkář, který už má za sebou #1 US a #1 US Rock za album “Mission Bell” a v tomtéž kontextu umístění #16 US a #7 US Rock za album “Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song” o rok později, tedy v roce 2013. Navíc #4 US Folk za “Live at Red Rocks” (2015). Na tomto albu přirovnává své emoce k tvrdosti přírody (bouřky, burácení vln a větru) v úžasné písni “One Lonely Light,” jedné z mnoha melodií, kde se snoubí medová melodie s tmavším textem. A ještě předtím se Amos Lee přesouvá do teritoria Stevie Wondera v oduševnělé “Lost Child,” znějící jako pozůstatek z jeho 16. studiového alba “Innervisions” (3. srpen 1973). Lee přemítá o mimořádně špatných vztazích několika pohledy v prvním singlu “Vaporize”, zde umístěném až jako 10. píseň, kde zpívá “I’ve been stressing all the time/I can’t seem to find/a little piece of mind”. Zde hned v úvodu slyšíme zvonivý klavír, programované beaty, podporované skutečnými bubny, chytlavou melodii v baladicky zpěvném statusu. Možná by pro Leeho bylo dobré, kdyby se zamyslel nad výrokem Jimi Hendrixe: “You don’t have to be singing about love all the time in order to give love to the people. You don’t have to keep flashing those words all the time.” Philadelphia singer/songwriter who took inspiration from soul music, contemporary jazz, and ‘70s folk.
•≈ Amos Lee continues to deliver the kind of laid–back, soulful sound that has set his work apart for years.
Birth name: Ryan Anthony Massaro
Born: June 22, 1977 in Philadelphia, PA
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia
Album release: 16 August 2016
Record Label: John Varvatos Records/Republic
Duration: 47:49
Tracks:
01 New Love 3:45
02 Running out of Time 3:19
03 Spirit 4:50
04 Lost Child 3:54
05 Highways and Clouds 3:29
06 Lightly 3:00
07 One Lonely Light 3:35
08 Till You Come Back Through 3:02
09 Hurt Me 3:17
10 Vaporize 3:51
11 Walls 4:37
12 Wait up for Me 3:45
13 With You 3:25
℗ 2016 Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc. (John Varvatos Records)
Written By Hal Horowitz // August 19, 2016 // Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
•≈ With 2015’s career spanning, orchestra enhanced live set now out of his system, it’s back to moving his career and sound forward on Amos Lee’s sixth and first fully self–produced studio effort. While he has always used his everyman soulful voice to provide an extra layer of honesty to his introspective folk rock, here Lee leans more directly to those R&B aspects of his approach.
•≈ The somewhat reserved singer–songwriter has mostly abandoned the laconic country groove he had been veering towards. Instead he emphasizes the folk/pop oriented jazz, blues and particularly gospel aspects of his music. Whether he’s espousing the joys of “New Love” that introduces the stripped down horn section of saxist Jeff Coffin and Rashawn Ross on trumpet or reveling in the slinky Memphis inspired groove of “Til You Come Back Through” and “Walls,” two tracks where the singer shifts into sweet falsetto mode, this is a smart move. Lee also adds subtle strings — violin, viola, occasional cello — to further embellish this vibe. The string players bring this chamber folk pop to life, especially on “Hurt Me” where their swirling intensity reflects the emotional turmoil of lyrics “and I’m begging you to free the pain that locks me up inside.”
•≈ Lee ruminates on a particularly bad relationship in many selections including the disc’s first single “Vaporize” where he says “I’ve been stressing all the time/I can’t seem to find/a little piece of mind” as tinkling piano and programmed beats along with real drums push an already catchy ballad melody into sing–along status. He compares his emotions to the harshness of nature (storms, crashing waves, wind) on the wonderfully churchy “One Lonely Light,” one of many tunes that marry honeyed melodies to darker lyrics. Lee shifts into full blown Stevie Wonder territory for the soulful “Lost Child,” an original that seems like a leftover from Innervisions.
•≈ The hand claps and religious fervor that drives the upbeat Motown–ish “Running Out of Time” pushes him into Al Green mode, a style that underlies the best of these 13 tracks (the deluxe edition adds two extra). A few more like that would inject an edge to a set that, with its heavy helping of ballads, gets a little too slick for its own good. That may grab more adult–alternative airplay but it often leaves the songs feeling too sterile by half.
•≈ Give Lee credit for expanding his boundaries while maintaining the quality of songwriting that has kept him a headliner since his 2005 debut. Over a decade into his career, Spirit is a spirited reminder that his recognized talents are improving over time.
•≈ http://americansongwriter.com/
Website: http://www.amoslee.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amoslee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amoslee
Also:
SCOTT STROUD, Associated Press Aug 18, 2016
•≈ Amos Lee continues to deliver the kind of laid–back, soulful sound that has set his work apart for years.
•≈ He just keeps getting better at it.
•≈ On his latest album, “Spirit,” Lee is in his sweet spot, one that has long prompted one of the more interesting “Who does he sound like?” discussions anywhere.
•≈ The truth is, he doesn’t sound like anybody but Amos Lee — though for years now he’s turned out music wonderfully evocative of singers like Al Green in his 1970s–era prime and vintage, mellow Isley Brothers.
•≈ With his new record, the first he has produced himself, Lee doubles down on his distinctive style, delivering a fuller sound without abandoning the elegant simplicity that set him apart in the first place. The best musicians know when not to play, and none of the added touches violate that rule.
•≈ The opener, “New Love,” is resplendent with understated gospel inflections and brass reminiscent of the late, great Memphis Horns, who of course played behind Green, Otis Redding and other legends. And Lee’s gentle acoustic playing sets him apart from those greats even as he follows the silky trail they blazed.
•≈ That comes through beautifully on a striking ballad called “Lightly,” which Lee builds around a surprisingly elegant banjo riff, and on a tender but morose breakup song called “Vaporize.”
•≈ Both showcase Lee’s ability to explore new territory without abandoning the essential goodness of what he’s been doing for years. And they elevate an album that broadens the range of a singer who will never be mistaken for anyone else. :: http://www.nwitimes.com/
•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•
| Amos Lee — Spirit (16 August 2016) |
•≈ Amos Lee continues to deliver the kind of laid–back, soulful sound that has set his work apart for years.
Birth name: Ryan Anthony Massaro
Born: June 22, 1977 in Philadelphia, PA
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia
Album release: 16 August 2016
Record Label: John Varvatos Records/Republic
Duration: 47:49
Tracks:
01 New Love 3:45
02 Running out of Time 3:19
03 Spirit 4:50
04 Lost Child 3:54
05 Highways and Clouds 3:29
06 Lightly 3:00
07 One Lonely Light 3:35
08 Till You Come Back Through 3:02
09 Hurt Me 3:17
10 Vaporize 3:51
11 Walls 4:37
12 Wait up for Me 3:45
13 With You 3:25
℗ 2016 Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc. (John Varvatos Records)
Written By Hal Horowitz // August 19, 2016 // Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
•≈ With 2015’s career spanning, orchestra enhanced live set now out of his system, it’s back to moving his career and sound forward on Amos Lee’s sixth and first fully self–produced studio effort. While he has always used his everyman soulful voice to provide an extra layer of honesty to his introspective folk rock, here Lee leans more directly to those R&B aspects of his approach.
•≈ The somewhat reserved singer–songwriter has mostly abandoned the laconic country groove he had been veering towards. Instead he emphasizes the folk/pop oriented jazz, blues and particularly gospel aspects of his music. Whether he’s espousing the joys of “New Love” that introduces the stripped down horn section of saxist Jeff Coffin and Rashawn Ross on trumpet or reveling in the slinky Memphis inspired groove of “Til You Come Back Through” and “Walls,” two tracks where the singer shifts into sweet falsetto mode, this is a smart move. Lee also adds subtle strings — violin, viola, occasional cello — to further embellish this vibe. The string players bring this chamber folk pop to life, especially on “Hurt Me” where their swirling intensity reflects the emotional turmoil of lyrics “and I’m begging you to free the pain that locks me up inside.”
•≈ Lee ruminates on a particularly bad relationship in many selections including the disc’s first single “Vaporize” where he says “I’ve been stressing all the time/I can’t seem to find/a little piece of mind” as tinkling piano and programmed beats along with real drums push an already catchy ballad melody into sing–along status. He compares his emotions to the harshness of nature (storms, crashing waves, wind) on the wonderfully churchy “One Lonely Light,” one of many tunes that marry honeyed melodies to darker lyrics. Lee shifts into full blown Stevie Wonder territory for the soulful “Lost Child,” an original that seems like a leftover from Innervisions.
•≈ The hand claps and religious fervor that drives the upbeat Motown–ish “Running Out of Time” pushes him into Al Green mode, a style that underlies the best of these 13 tracks (the deluxe edition adds two extra). A few more like that would inject an edge to a set that, with its heavy helping of ballads, gets a little too slick for its own good. That may grab more adult–alternative airplay but it often leaves the songs feeling too sterile by half.
•≈ Give Lee credit for expanding his boundaries while maintaining the quality of songwriting that has kept him a headliner since his 2005 debut. Over a decade into his career, Spirit is a spirited reminder that his recognized talents are improving over time.
•≈ http://americansongwriter.com/
Website: http://www.amoslee.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amoslee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amoslee
Also:
SCOTT STROUD, Associated Press Aug 18, 2016
•≈ Amos Lee continues to deliver the kind of laid–back, soulful sound that has set his work apart for years.
•≈ He just keeps getting better at it.
•≈ On his latest album, “Spirit,” Lee is in his sweet spot, one that has long prompted one of the more interesting “Who does he sound like?” discussions anywhere.
•≈ The truth is, he doesn’t sound like anybody but Amos Lee — though for years now he’s turned out music wonderfully evocative of singers like Al Green in his 1970s–era prime and vintage, mellow Isley Brothers.
•≈ With his new record, the first he has produced himself, Lee doubles down on his distinctive style, delivering a fuller sound without abandoning the elegant simplicity that set him apart in the first place. The best musicians know when not to play, and none of the added touches violate that rule.
•≈ The opener, “New Love,” is resplendent with understated gospel inflections and brass reminiscent of the late, great Memphis Horns, who of course played behind Green, Otis Redding and other legends. And Lee’s gentle acoustic playing sets him apart from those greats even as he follows the silky trail they blazed.
•≈ That comes through beautifully on a striking ballad called “Lightly,” which Lee builds around a surprisingly elegant banjo riff, and on a tender but morose breakup song called “Vaporize.”
•≈ Both showcase Lee’s ability to explore new territory without abandoning the essential goodness of what he’s been doing for years. And they elevate an album that broadens the range of a singer who will never be mistaken for anyone else. :: http://www.nwitimes.com/
•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•