Hoping to parlay the success of the secretly-punk Norah Jones into a roster of similarly young-and-introspective balladeers, Blue Note made Philadelphia coffee-shop soul man Amos Lee a marketing priority last year. And though the artist that emerged from the "male NoJo" package-and-pitch didn?t move quite as many units as did the sedate songstress, Amos captured the attention of Bob Dylan and a steadily growing, latte-swilling audience.
His sophomore effort is more consistent than his debut, and while it may not have anything as strong as "Seen It All Before" or "Arms Of A Woman," it's most impressive when, as here, the arrangements are sparse and the focus is on Lee's distinct vocals. But really, we're just waiting for his Blue Note-mandated turn as a fishnet-wearing punk rocker.
Amos Lee - "Sympathize" (MP3)
Supply And Demand is out 10/3.
