Amos Lee | 
| Artist: Amos Lee
Label: Blue Note Records
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $6.00
You Save: $11.98 (67%)
New (51) Used (22) Collectible (2) from $4.89
Rating:  149 reviews
Sales Rank: 1921
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 97350
UPC: 724359735023
EAN: 0724359735023
ASIN: B00070G6Y2
Release Date: March 1, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New - Factory Sealed - Shipped from Florida via USPS First class mail. We ONLY sell what we have in stock. NO back orders here.Import Edition
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| Tracks:
| • | Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight | | • | Seen It All Before | | • | Arms Of A Woman | | • | Give It Up | | • | Dreamin' | | • | Soul Suckers | | • | Colors | | • | Bottom Of The Barrel | | • | Black River | | • | Lies Of A Lonely Friend | | • | All My Friends |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Though Amos Lee's music is frequently described as a fusion of folk and soul, such an equation fails to reflect the singular artistry of this impressive debut. Like labelmate Norah Jones (who guests on two cuts), the Philadelphia singer-songwriter recognizes the power of simplicity, distilling an emotional essence that cuts across categories. The opening of his "Seen It All Before" echoes Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"; the stunning "Arms of a Woman" channels Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams to Remember"; "Give It Up" cuts a classic Bill Withers groove; "Black River" has the sound of an age-old spiritual; and the closing "All My Friends" follows Van Morrison into the mystic. Throughout the song cycle, the bare-bones arrangements behind Lee's vocal flutter reinforce an organic unity that transcends genre. For all of the debts he owes to the music of the 1960s and '70s, the results sound timeless rather than retro. In his cautionary "Soul Suckers," Lee sings that "nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world"--and proceeds to prove it. --Don McLeese
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| Customer Reviews: Read 144 more reviews...
 Wow...a brilliant debut! March 4, 2005
Christopher B. Prentiss (Bay Area, CA)
151 out of 157 found this review helpful
Most people can remember hearing Norah Jones' Come Away With Me for the first time. It was so fresh and so different from all the other noise filling the airways. Amos Lee's debut is like that. Upon listening to it straight through, you wonder why there is not more music like this and wonder what it will be like to hear him 25 years from now and remember your first listen.
I don't want to be overly reductionistic here, but the Norah Jones connection is certainly worth making, if only because all the NJ fans who read this review might snap up this record too. This cd does indeed have a certain "male Norah Jones" feel to it; and her distinctive up-octave piano playing can even be heard on two of the tracks. However, it should be made clear that Amos is talented enough in his own right to deserve a better classification than this. Nonetheless, if you don't get this impression I would be surprised.
There is not really a weak track on the cd; each is a distinct effort. But the overall work hangs together with a low-key excellence, which partnered with astute production and mixing generates that characteristic Blue Note sound that plays just as well in the background as it does for the savvy audiophile whose "tuned in" to every musical element. The instrumentation never overwhelms his vocals, and his vocals are never out in front so much that the cello, mandolin, and piano feel "filtered."
While I have certainly not exhausted the praise due to the musical crafstmanship of the album, I was also quite impressed with the lyrical depth of a songwriter so young. Each of the songs are penned by him, and while many are fun and peaceful, like the biblical prophet who shares his name, he is quite aware that there is something enormously wrong with this world we live in. Instead of offering trite solutions, he allows the listener to critically explore his perspective on this fallen world, without holding out a happy ending that is too easy to imagine or achieve. On one hand he cries out in biblical imagery for a savior, presumably a personal, knowable one, and then immediately asks for the sweet whiskey to take his cares away. This bit of irony points out that the apathetic certainly don't perceive any need for a savior, for they have no cares. But the one who sees something in himself in need of saving eventually realizes that whiskey only temporarily removes the pain from the brokenness that needs restoration. Perhaps I am reading my own experience into his writing, but hopefully this will demonstrate that there is enough depth in his writing to do what good art should do - invite the listener into a conversation.
Impressive artist, impressive debut March 11, 2005
N. Gargano (Waynesville NC and Bradenton, Fl)
51 out of 56 found this review helpful
I have not been this excited about a new artist in so long...maybe norah jones, but maybe not....Mr. Lee has released a wonderful debut cd. I read a review of the cd and thought I would give it a try...so glad I did. I cannot stop listening to it. I tried to explain his sound to someone, kind of Bob Dylan, kind of soul, a little country,a little folk, I'm not sure. He is very unique. And what a wonderful songwriter, I don't know his age, he looks young on the cd, which makes this all the more impressive. I expect to hear more great things from him, I look forward to it.
Buy this cd, you will not be disappointed.
This album you will enjoy very much. May 22, 2006
Jenny J.J.I. (That Lives in Northern Nevada)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
I am quite taken with this new voice, Amos Lee. He speaks to me about life and the troubles of life. But he also sings of romance and family love that keep us all going and wishing for our childhood again.
My favorite track is "Arms of a Woman," it is a beautiful love song about what it feels like to be in love with a woman. This feeling stays with you long after she is gone. I can listen to this track over and over because it is pretty. "Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight" is a song about trying to stay true to yourself while searching for what makes you happy. "Black River" is a great song that makes you forget all your problems. This song really puts your mind at ease.
Some of these tracks sound like something you would hear during a jam session just playing and having fun especially the song "Give it Up." This song has a lively beat that will get your feet tapping. "All My Friends" is the best friendship song I've heard in years. It is a song about the influence friends can have on you. "Bottom of The Barrel" is a song that reminds us that we can overcome any hardship in life and rise. It is a very optimistic song about never giving up. I enjoyed this album very much.
This album is to savor and listen to over and over again to pick up every nuance of the lyrics and the voice. Highly recommended.
 Sweet voice, decent enough debut March 29, 2005
moose_of_many_waters (Palo Alto, CA United States)
10 out of 21 found this review helpful
Make no doubt about it, Amos Lee is a wonderfully sweet crooner. The sparse instrumentation works to emphasize his voice. This is a simple and well produced album, quite in contrast to the emphasis on layer after layer of most CDs.
Ultimately, this is a perfectly decent debut album which shows that Amos Lee has promise. The songs, however, tend to blend together, and have a hotel cocktail lounge kind of feel to them. They are rather lightweight in terms of music and lyrics. Still this is a good start for Mr. Lee. If he can dig a little deeper next time, he will be up there with the big boys of thoughtful pop. Potentially, he can be someone with the writing skill of Phil Roy - someone he already borrows from - mixed with a sweet youthful voice.
That said, there are below a good number of reviews that are fakes and over the top. They are written by "people" who apparently have been so overwhelmed by this CD that this is the first and only time they've written a review. Don't be fooled. This is what is called generating fake buzz. It's a rather unethical attempt by Amos Lee's record company to cast an overwhelmingly positive glow on this CD.
The CD can stand on its own. It doesn't need Blue Note to manipulate Amazon's ratings and Amazon has persistent problems with manipulation of customer ratings by both publishers and record companies. This one, though, is particularly obvious.
The CD is decent enough. Hopefully, Amos Lee's next one will be even better.
 A Piece of What's Missing From Popular Music... May 5, 2005
Rudy Palma (NJ)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
A singer, songwriter and guitarist with great soul and depth, Amos Lee proves on his recently-released self-titled album that a prestigious career is in his stars. With a rich, emotive voice, he sings and plays with a conviction that is missing from the majority of today's popular music.
Although the schmaltzy lead single "Arms of a Woman" has been earning him great favor among female listeners, he clearly has more up his sleeve than romantic fluff. The opening "Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight," for example, finds Lee reflecting on the good and bad of his life so far, keeping in mind that his future is vast and looming.
In "Soul Suckers," the Philadelphia native observes that "nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world," later living up to his words in "Seen It All Before" where he brushes off a girl who simply isn't worth his time, opting for self-respect instead of manipulation.
The crystalline "Love In the Lies" is an upbeat affair where Lee soaks up the revelation that "it's time to make a brand new start," while the somber "Colors," cloaked in a profoundly gorgeous melody, features vocal harmonies by Norah Jones, who is a featured player on several tracks on the disc along with her bandmates Lee Alexander and Adam Levy.
"Black River" is a cathartic track where the singer/songwriter rests assured that his savior will ease his burdens and be his guiding light. The disc ends on a similarly optimistic note with the captivating "All My Friends" where he states he will always have his arms open for those he holds dear, since life has its share of ups and downs.
Despite the fact that "Amos Lee" is clearly a powerful start to his recording career, it should be noted that Blue Note clearly is looking for a male counterpart to Norah Jones, and therefore songs that showcase Lee's charisma and witty personality like the provocative "Teddy Bear" and "Caramelized" have been left off the album in favor of a more uniform atmosphere. These can still be heard, however, at select live performances, which prove that he is even more engaging in person than on record.
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