- Release date:
- June 24, 2008
- Artist/Band name:
- Amos Lee
- Record label:
- Blue Note
- Official Web Site:
- http://www.amoslee.com/
Why you should care: “Last Days” offers a more robust sound thanks to its well-traveled band, including guitarist Doyle Bramhall, Jr. (Eric Clapton), keyboardist Spooner Oldham (Neil Young), bassist Pino Palladino (the Who) and drummer James Gadson (Bill Withers). Lee still doesn’t exactly rock, but this album kicks off with the fiercely upbeat “Listen,” which sounds like Lee finally realized the fun of making a little noise. While “Won’t Let Me Go” is a smooth jam with enough passion to land on the new Al Green disc, “Truth” stretches some guitar fuzz in between bars, giving Lee’s band space to roam where he was previously more precise and refined. It suits him well.
Verdict: “Jails and Bombs” is, as you might expect, a rather on-the-nose social commentary, and its falsetto would seem more at home on a Van Hunt cut. But “Street Corner Preacher” threatens to beat Ben Harper at his own funky game, and the soaring “What’s Been Going On” is both uplifting and reflective thanks to escalating dynamics and a soothing mix of organ and piano. There’s also the relaxed Western twang of “Ease Back” and the hushed “Baby I Want You,” delivered not as a burning expression of desire but an honest, take-it-or-leave-it declaration of pure, romantic intent. Lee’s a sympathetic guy, and while he’s not always wise, he at least sounds like a damn good listener.
X-Factor: Though arguably still somewhat under the radar, Lee has opened for a pretty impressive list of artists, including Norah Jones, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan.
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