Artist: Amos Lee
Album: Mission Bell
Label: Blue Note Records
Rating: 3
In a Tuesday full of releases revealing new sounds from artists Iron & Wine and The Cold War Kids that displeased loyal fans, Amos Lee’s Mission Bell manages to evolve the singer’s sound while still staying grounded in his soulful roots.
Lee, of bluesy singer-songwriter fame with hits such as “Arms of a Women” and “Sweet Pea,” reveals a more emotional and folksy sound in Mission Bell. His voice, as beautiful as it has ever been, has a thickness and depth that Lee has rarely before achieved in his previous work.
Although he experiments with a number of uptempo gospel-inspired tunes, Lee’s true strength on Mission Bell lies with his gorgeous ballads. Regardless of your taste, Mission Bell is sure to be a great listen on a rainy day or a long quiet drive.
One of the singles from Mission Bell, “Violin,” is currently available for free download on iTunes.
Give these tracks a listen: “El Camino,” “Flower,” “Violin”
For fans of: Ray LaMontagne, Norah Jones, Joe Purdy
– Anneta Konstantinides
