Mission Bell

I am currently infatuated with Amos Lee's latest cd, "Mission Bell."  His song, "Violin," whose video I included in a post a few months ago, is from this album.  I have always been in awe of the muted versatility in his voice--his four cds all have a different "sound," ranging from singer-songwriter, to jazz-pop, bluesy soul, and country.

In his latest musical offering, Amos Lee has grown into his quietly-evolving persona.  (He is signed to the same jazz label, Blue Note Records, as Norah Jones.)  Atmospheric, slightly twangy, mellow, and soulful...what iTunes calls, "Country."  However, it's not quite country.  It's better than country.  Heavy-hitters Willie Nelson and Lucinda Williams make guest vocal appearances in "Mission Bell."

What I admire the most about Amos Lee, besides his music, is his humility.  On all his albums, his liner notes are not extensive--they thank his family, friends, and colleagues, in a giant swoop of a sparsely-descriptive sentence.  How's that for beautifully succinct and concise?

For creativity's sake (if not yours, then mine), here is another inspiring song from "Mission Bell," titled, "Behind Me Now":

Violin

I've always loved Amos Lee, but this song, "Violin," truly showcases the depth of his voice...the vulnerability and the intense emotion that drenches his music.  The CD is his latest, "Mission Bell."  Very contemplative, yet soothing at the same time.  Whenever I play this song, all of my attention ultimately rallies towards it, and whatever I may be doing at the moment takes the backseat--a wholehearted, unconscious move on my part.  It's not the lyrics, per se, that draw me in; it's the entire experience: the lyrics coupled with the accompanying instrumentals.  The intonation and the timely prosody, the truthful timbre of his voice urging the music onward. 

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Treasury feature:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/Njc3ODExMnwzNzcwMTQwMzU/real-white-for-night-owls-on-midsummer