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Recorded in Arizona with Calexico's Joey Burns producing, Amos Lee's fourth studio album, 2011's Mission Bell, finds the singer/songwriter in a thoughtful mood and once again wrapping his soulful folk numbers in country, blues, and soft rock. A ruminative, lazy summer day of an album, Mission Bell is not dissimilar to Lee's last effort, 2008's Last Days at the Lodge, but lacks the more contemporary R&B tracks that made Last Days a bit of a departure from Lee's more granola leanings. Here listeners get the introspective leadoff track "El Camino" and the airy Steve Winwood-sounding ballad "Violin." Similarly engaging is the jaunty mid-album anthem "Flower," which is equal parts the Commodores' "Easy" and Hall & Oates' "She's Gone." It's a brilliant, joyously melodic number with the only downside being that it only works to remind you how melodically dire the rest of the album is. Which isn't to say Mission Bell is bad. On the contrary, there is a lot to admire here and maybe that's the main problem. Lee is a talented songwriter with a distinctive pop voice who is becoming recognized as an heir to the American singer/songwriter throne -- a notion given weight by the addition of several well-known guest artists here, including roots rocker Lucinda Williams and country legend Willie Nelson. That said, he often favors rambling, low-key country numbers that get you to quietly consider the bittersweet nature of our existence rather than lose yourself in the song. You come off a track like "Flower" and keep waiting for another one to grab you in the same "instant classic" kind of way. If Mission Bell rings true, it's in the lyrics with Lee's knack for stories and personal revelations keeping you listening, and not always the melodic content.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
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John Convertino, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Guitar, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Valenzuela, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
John Convertino, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Leisz, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Guitar, Electric Guitar, Upright Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Bass Programming, Mix Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Organ, Piano, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Lopez, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
Amos Lee, MainArtist - N/A, Producer - Ryan Anthony Massaro, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2012 Blue Note Records
Greg Leisz, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Valenzuela, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
JAMES GADSON, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Leisz, Electric Guitar, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Composer, Electric Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Blanton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Priscilla Ahn, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
John Convertino, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Vibraphone, Upright Bass, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Piano, Synthesizer, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - John Svek, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Pieta Brown, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
JAMES GADSON, Tambourine, Drum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Harmonica, Mix Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Electric Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Banjo, Percussion, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
John Convertino, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Guitar, Vibraphone, Upright Bass, Baritone Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Composer, Electric Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Organ, Percussion, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Valenzuela, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Johnny O'Halloran, Double Bass, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
JAMES GADSON, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Leisz, Electric Guitar, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Bass Guitar, Organ, Piano, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Zach Djanikian, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
John Convertino, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Leisz, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Bass Guitar, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Silver Thread Trio, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
John Convertino, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Leisz, Guitar, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Liljestrand, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lucinda Williams, Vocals, Background Vocalist, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Upright Bass, Baritone Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Composer, Vocals, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Organ, Piano, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
Willie Nelson, Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Mickey Raphael, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - John Convertino, Drums, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Leisz, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vibraphone, AssociatedPerformer - Amos Lee, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Keyboards, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Halemanu Villiarimo, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
Willie Nelson, FeaturedArtist - John Convertino, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Burns, Producer, Guitar, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Schumacher, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Amos Lee, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Schultz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.J. Golden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jaron Olevsky, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Valenzuela, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
Album review
Recorded in Arizona with Calexico's Joey Burns producing, Amos Lee's fourth studio album, 2011's Mission Bell, finds the singer/songwriter in a thoughtful mood and once again wrapping his soulful folk numbers in country, blues, and soft rock. A ruminative, lazy summer day of an album, Mission Bell is not dissimilar to Lee's last effort, 2008's Last Days at the Lodge, but lacks the more contemporary R&B tracks that made Last Days a bit of a departure from Lee's more granola leanings. Here listeners get the introspective leadoff track "El Camino" and the airy Steve Winwood-sounding ballad "Violin." Similarly engaging is the jaunty mid-album anthem "Flower," which is equal parts the Commodores' "Easy" and Hall & Oates' "She's Gone." It's a brilliant, joyously melodic number with the only downside being that it only works to remind you how melodically dire the rest of the album is. Which isn't to say Mission Bell is bad. On the contrary, there is a lot to admire here and maybe that's the main problem. Lee is a talented songwriter with a distinctive pop voice who is becoming recognized as an heir to the American singer/songwriter throne -- a notion given weight by the addition of several well-known guest artists here, including roots rocker Lucinda Williams and country legend Willie Nelson. That said, he often favors rambling, low-key country numbers that get you to quietly consider the bittersweet nature of our existence rather than lose yourself in the song. You come off a track like "Flower" and keep waiting for another one to grab you in the same "instant classic" kind of way. If Mission Bell rings true, it's in the lyrics with Lee's knack for stories and personal revelations keeping you listening, and not always the melodic content.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:51:06
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Amos Lee
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Blue Note Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2010 Blue Note Records ℗ 2010 Blue Note Records
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