Amos Lee

As easy as it is for anyone to pick up re-mastered albums, it is surprising that musicians like Amos Lee can succeed beyond the Nashville bar-hopping scene.  Adding to the slew of blues and folk artists, past and present, Blue Note Records’ singer/songwriter Amos Lee’s Last Days at the Lodge brings nothing new to the record shelves (other than the physical disc I suppose). But we pompous activist-critics bemoan mainstream music’s lack of originality only to have our heralding muffled by supply and demand (oddly the title of Lee’s sophomore LP).  Therefore, it is useless to discard Amos Lee’s obvious talent over a lack of originality.

As I listened to Last Days, the production—by Don Was (Bob Dylan, B.B. King, The Rolling Stones)—peaked my spoiled tastes only to be derailed by the thought, “I’ve heard this all before.”  I began the list: Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Damien Rice, etc. Yet, between the vast comparisons I began relating to each song and musical element, I was soothed by Amos Lee and crew’s soulful groove, delicate melodies, and Lee’s comfortable soothing voice on his 3rd full-length, following Supply and Demand (2006) and the self-titled debut (2005).

The comparisons only speak to Amos Lee’s acclaim as a vocalist and guitarist.  Lee’s voice can be as raspy as Bob Dylan (“Truth”) and smooth as the – dare I say? – obvious comparison to Marvin Gaye.  (Come now, despite even the accents of his voice and penetrating falsetto, he says, “All I wanna do is make sweet love to you.”)  He also recalls Damien Rice in the folkie “Ease Back.”  Lee’s vocal versatility necessitates the albums free-flow of blues, soul, and folk tunes.

“What’s Been Going On” incorporates these genres to display Lee at his best.  Lee’s band—guitarist Doyle Bramhall, Jr., keyboardist Spooner Oldham, bassist Pino Palladino, and drummer James Gadson—compliments the steadily smooth (with perfect vibrato) vocal arrangement.  After all, each song is built around Lee’s preferential vocal emanation.  On Last Days, Amos Lee shows his audience that he can tweak his singing to fit the genre.

Lyrically, Lee does not stray much further than simple observations (“It Started to Rain,” “Street Corner Preacher”), lustful pleas (“Baby I Want You”), and romantic advancements (“Won’t Let Me Go).  Naturally, Lee employs storytelling and conversational observations to describe some universally felt emotions such as hope in “Kid” and disillusionment in “Jails and Bombs.”  Emotional? Maybe. Meaningful? Hardly.

Lee will be touring with Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello this fall, a befitting tour that honors young Lee’s talent among accomplished professionals.  So for those who reminisce over the days since “good” music passed, Last Days should instill a hope beyond the next re-mastered disc.  And I suppose Last Days could be something entirely original for an ignorant listener.  For me, Amos Lee just slowed me down to a groove on a Sunday afternoon.

Highlight Track: “What’s Been Going On?”

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