The Book of Amos Lee

A first grade teacher turned troubadour extraordinaire, Amos Lee keeps the gentleness of the teacher but adds the soulfulness and frankness of a great songwriter. Although he is constantly compared with his female counterpart Norah Jones, Amos Lee has a unique, humble quality about him that helps me relate to him and his words more than Norah. It is almost as if his the quality of his voice is a secondary entity.

Amos Lee's self-titled first release, met with fair surprise as he proved on nearly every track that "nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world." Every track is infused with honesty and depth, combined with a voice of a man who just wants someone to listen.

And so, I have been incredibly excited about his newest release, Supply and Demand, which is garnering a great deal of attention. I received in the mail an advance copy of Supply and Demand and it is nothing short of a sophomore masterpiece. As taken from his myspace, "When asked if he felt the pressure typically associated with sophomore albums, Lee explained, People are always asking what's next, but as a songwriter it can be a bit troubling to get too far ahead of yourself. Most of my life these days is spent either performing songs I've already written, thinking about songs that are half finished, or starting new tunes. I'm aware of peoples expectations, but my job is to serve the song, and that's what I focus on." He certainly did serve the song. From the ukulele on "Sweet Pea" to the choral climax of "Shout Out Loud" to the soothing admissions on "Night Train", Amos Lee has established himself as a modern folk hero.

Buy Supply and Demand, you'll feel better.

Listen to Shout Out Loud.