Sunday, August 03, 2008
A+E, Music, Reviews

AMOS LEE

“LAST DAYS AT THE LODGE” (EMI/BLUE NOTE)

Marina Chavez
AMOS LEE 
Wednesday, Aug. 5
Variety Playhouse
$25-$27.50                                                                                                                 
404-524-7654
www.variety-playhouse.com

 Sensing that marketing Amos Lee as a younger James Taylor with more hair for the folksy Starbucks crowd was an artistic and commercial cul de sac, the singer-songwriter’s label opened its wallet and hired marquee producer Don Was to assist with his third release. Was attracted some of the coolest and classiest musicians in the biz, such as keyboardist Spooner Oldham, guitarist Doyle Bramhall Jr., Who bassist Pino Palladino and soul/jazz drummer James Gadson to spiff up the proceedings.

   But why hire these heavy hitters if you relegate their contributions so far in the background they lose any sense of the electricity and excitement for which they’re known? Although things start off promisingly with the swampy folk-rocker “Listen,” then move Lee into blue-eyed soul territory with the ’70s-styled “Won’t Let Me Go,” by the disc’s halfway point, the backing turns anonymous. 

    Lee writes easy-on-the-ears, R&B-influenced folksy pop tunes that veer from politics of the heart to politics of the world, and sings them with an everyman voice that feels sincere, if nondescript. With this band and high-profile producer though, even the weakest material should be elevated a few notches. But that’s not the case. The musicians seem like they’re sleepwalking, resulting in faceless performances that sound antiseptic and phoned in.

   Existing fans might enjoy this as more of the same from Lee. Still, with the potentially explosive musical firepower involved, “Last Days at the Lodge” never catches a spark and ultimately fizzles out as a well-intentioned dud. 2.5 STARS—Hal Horowitz