SAM AMIDON - Lily-O

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Folk/Folkrock | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 166 / 12-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 7.5/10 | Label: Nonesuch | Autor: SaS


At first glance, "Lily-O" is an interesting Americana record, but at second glance it is an impressive collaboration of several artists that one would not have expected at first glance. On his fifth album, Sam Amidon intones old folk songs in a new, albeit traditional guise. The dominant instruments are the banjo and the fiddle, which help the songs preserve their traditional aura. But anyone who thinks that the album was recorded somewhere in the American hinterland will soon be surprised to find that Amidon went to Iceland to work on the controllers with Björk and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy intimus Valgeir Sigurdsson. His invitation was followed by the legendary jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, a youth idol of Amidon, who gilded the album with his free, innovative playing. And yet: Despite all the quality and the successful modernization of traditional American folk tunes, "Lily-O" is not for everyone. Some will find the compositions too archaic, too outmoded. But that would also be a compliment to Amidon and his comrades-in-arms.

Top track: Lily-O

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