Posted by Eli Cohen
Philadelphia native Amos Lee is halfway through his countrywide tour to promote his latest album, "Mission Bell," which is due to be released Jan. 25.
Lee's new tour took him to The Egg on Nov. 4. Not just a building, The Egg has become an icon of Albany. Truly an ideal representation of the building's name, the vaguely UFO-shaped building was part of the Empire State Plaza project. The concert hall has welcomed artists such as They Might Be Giants, country singer Emmylou Harris and Hot Tuna.
Lee has received critical acclaim since the drop of his self-titled debut album in 2005. In his latest tour he has been joined on stage by Dave Matthews. Lee is also scheduled to appear at one of Levon Helm's "Midnight Ramble" sessions, an event that is known to attract high-profile guests.
One key component to Lee's success is the sheer number of songs he has managed to get on television. Lee has had tracks appear on "Grey's Anatomy," "House," "Studio 60," "Brothers and Sisters," "Six Degrees" and "ER." All of these hit songs appeared on Lee's debut album, which was produced by folk-singer Norah Jones' bassist, Lee Alexander, and reached No. 2 on the billboards.
Lee's rich, soulful voice and poignant lyrics perfectly compliment the instruments he sings over. His lyrics, aided by his hauntingly beautiful, high voice, tell elegant truths. "Nobody wants honesty when looking at a perfect frame/ play the game/ Nothing could be further from the truth, my love," Lee sings in "Soul Suckers," off the album "Amos Lee."
His songs are well thought-out, simple and striking, as is his ability to move seamlessly back and forth between genres. While many of Lee's songs appear to belong in the folk category, there are undeniable blues and soul influences.
It appears that Lee's new album will fall more under the country banner than previous albums, with guest appearances by country stars including Lucinda Williams and the legendary stoner-hippie Willie Nelson.
Eli Cohen is junior who likes to talk about music.