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Sam Amidon’s new album, “I see the sign” is released on 29th March 2010 and Beth
has contributed to four songs – details below:
Way Go Lily
Shahzad Ismaily: Drums, Backing Vocals, Bass,
Acoustic Guitar
Beth Orton: Vocals
Nico Muhly: Piano
You Better Mind
Beth Orton: Vocals
Shahzad Ismaily: Drums, Electric Guitar with
Mini Moog, Bass
Nico Muhly: Piano, Celeste
Valgeir Sigurðsson: Bass, Mini Moog, Programming
Johanna The Row-di
Beth Orton: Vocals, Nylon String Guitar
Shahzad Ismaily: Vocals, Humming, Electric Guitar,
Mini Moog
Relief
Beth Orton: Vocals
Shahzad Ismaily: Percussion, Bass, Nylon String Guitar
Nico Muhly: Piano, Celeste
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| Sam Amidon – I See The Sign Cat No: HVALUR9CD/LP Release date : 28th March 2010 Format: CD/LP PRESS RELEASE: The needle-drop fuzz that cues Sam Amidon’s fourth solo album of songs, I See The Sign, raises the curtain on a world of little theatres, foretelling of an aural gut-grip that is fully human and wholly natural. Amidon’s intuitive and often radical reworkings of age-old secular ballads, gospel, folk songs, and hymns render familiar characters new through his direction, vision, vocals, banjo, guitar, and stellar contributions from fellow musicians. Stylus Magazine raved that Amidon’s sophomore solo album, But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted, was “the most interesting folk album of 2007.” In 2008, Bedroom Community debuted his third album, All Is Well, which garnered media enthusiasm as “a goose-bump-manufacturing sonic pièce de résistance” (CMJ New Music Monthly). I See The Sign sets the stage for Amidon’s second Bedroom Community release to showcase deft attention to songcraft and collaboration. Where All Is Well foregrounded voice and strings to share tales of human endurance, I See The Sign is a carefully constructed battle and balance of musical sensibilities surveying the psychological extremes of existence. Contributing to I See The Sign is multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily, a long-time collaborator of Amidon’s whose musical past includes New York City’s improv scene as well as playing bass for Rage Against the Machine, percussion for Tom Waits, and guitar for Laurie Anderson. Offsetting Ismaily’s expansive contributions, Nico Muhly’s chamber-orchestral arrangements for string, brass, and woodwinds continue the groundbreaking work he began on All Is Well. Renowned singer-songwriter Beth Orton emerges after a music-scene hiatus to lend haunting vocals to four songs. In an environment of struggle, euphony, and polyphony, Valgeir Sigurðsson’s expert role as producer grounds this sonic psychogeography. While atmospheric pressure in “Rain and Snow” builds from the love of trouble and troubled love, “Pretty Fair Damsel” lightens the scene as Amidon’s voice and Muhly’s keys cast rays of sun through forests of sugar maple to spotlight music for the hopeful and hope-filled. “How Come That Blood” gallops with Ismaily’s percussion and Moog bass, accented by string flourishes as pheasants take wing to flee the scene. Through recomposed children’s singing game “Way Go Lily” and Georgia Sea Islands song “You Better Mind”, Amidon and Orton pair elegant vocals to play out strains of concern and comfort. Title song “I See The Sign” steps boldly centre-stage to depict the dark clouds of Armageddon hovering over wildflowers, myrtle and marsh marigold blooming against a roiling grey sky. By stark contrast, an intimate rendition of R&B musician R. Kelly’s “Relief” is the perfect dénouement to draw the album’s drama to its finale. With fearless grace and apocalyptic beauty, I See The Sign performs aurality for vision; sounds enter ears and exit through eyes that shine and widen from listening. I See The Sign enacts a technicolour reality, with sound grown in and on the body – a body costumed in blood-red lichen and moon-silver moss, with the crackle of grit audible beneath boots. An album traversing the emotional gamut, Sam Amidon and his collaborators present I See The Sign as a gift to the listening, sensate body. In your doomsday attire and with your eyes glowing bright, do you see the sign? Click here for access to press release and digital booklet |
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SUNDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2010 - POSTER SECTION ADDED TO WEBSITE
A poster section has been added to the website in the discography section. There are also a number of
flyers / handbills listed. If anyone has any good quality pictures of posters/ flyers plase send them
to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
and I will list them.
click here to go to poster section
THURSDAY 21ST JANUARY 2010 - BETH ADDED TO LILITH 2010 LINEUP
Follow @lilithfair on Twitter for the most up to date information.
TUESDAY 19TH JANUARY 2010 - BETH PLAYS BELL HOUSE, BROOKLYN
Last night Beth played the second and final New York show on this mini-tour was staged at Brooklyn's spacious Bell
House venue.The sold-out crowd was respectfully quiet during the show, which allowed the sound man to work some
serious magic.
Sam Amidon took the stage about 9pm. Stefan Amidon, Sam's brother joined his brother for some of his set. Beth came
out and sang a couple of songs with Sam that will appear on his new album that comes out in March. Beth's set began
just after 10pm and started with a solo rendition of Someone's Daughter. Beth spoke briefly about being rusty after
spending time with her 3-year old daughter. Thomas Bartlett came out and played electric piano with Beth on guitar
on Sweetest Decline. There was a restart on this one as Beth had a coughing fit. She said she hoped it wasn't the start
of an unfortunate nervous tic!
Sam accompanied Beth on the John Martyn song Go Down Easy, which has been recorded for a tribute album.
She also mentioned John's passing last year and it was clear that many in the audience weren't sure who he was.
Beth and Sam played guitar and sang as Thomas played the electric piano for Whenever. This led into another
new song which had been played on Sunday. Beth pointed out tonight that it was about the sea. The three left the
stage before returning for two encores.
Beth came out alone and started strumming the introduction to Ooh Child, when a lady in the audience
complimented her shoes. Beth heartily agreed "Fucking great, aren't they?" and without missing a beat, went
right into her rendition of this classic. An audience request made for a spotaneous change in plans and It's
Not the Spotlight and She Cries Your Name rounded out the first encore before Beth returned for I Wish
I Never Saw the Sunshine.
Pictures and reviews here
MONDAY 18TH JANUARY 2010 - BETH PLAYS CITY WINERY, NYC
Last night Beth played the second of her three dates in the US at the City Winery, NYC.
She was supported by Sam Amidon (www.samamidon.com) and came out early to perform
with him before her own 18 song set. Click here for more details and pictures
SUNDAY 17TH JANUARY 2010 - START TIMES FOR NEW YORK SHOWS
SUN 17th JANUARY - NYC CITY WINERY, NYC
155 Varick street
NYC, NY
8 pm Start
MON 18th JANUARY- NYC THE BELL HOUSE , BRKLYN
149 7th street
Brooklyn, NY
8:45 Start
Beth is being supported by Sam Amidon (www.samamidon.com) - get there early and don't miss him.
FRIDAY 15TH JANUARY 2010 - GOODBYE EMI - HELLO...?
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According to her manager, Beth Orton has separated from her longtime record label and is set to begin work on a
new album once she decides how to release it. No more infomation is available this time but any further
details will be posted as soon as they are known.
TUESDAY 12TH JANUARY 2010 - BETH PLAYS THE LARGO
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Beth kicked off a brief U.S. solo tour with a 90-minute set at the Largo at Coronet
Before she'd even played a note, she announced that she was "recovering from something dreadful," Later, following
a rendition of "Central Reservation," the title track from her 1999 album, she elaborated, explaining that until the
night before she'd been on her deathbed thanks to a nasty case of walking pneumonia -- also known, she added, as the
boogie-woogie flu.
A "whacking great" antibiotic had prevented her cancelling, but remnants of her illness lingered; several times she was
forced to stop in the middle of a song for a ladylike coughing fit.
She responded to a fan's request for her song "Concrete Sky" with the admission that she didn't remember how to play it.
halfway through a cover of the Five Stairsteps' "Ooh Child" that she'd forgotten to attach a capo to her guitar.
"Your enthusiasm is waning," she said. "I can hear it."
She brought out Gillian Welch for a lovely rendition of an untitled new song, Beth gushed that she was so excited to play
with Welch that she'd awakened early despite the fact that with her daughter at home with her grandparents, she might've
taken the opportunity to sleep in.
evoked the ruminative West Coast folk-pop of Joni Mitchell's "Blue."
Listen to the track Beth Orton has contributed to the Judee Sill tribute CD
Crayon Angel due to be released 22nd September 2009. The title of the track is called
Reach For The Sky and www.beth-orton.net has been given the exclusive first preview!
For more information on this track and the album Click here
Crayon Angel: A Tribute To The Music Of Judee Sill can be purchased from:
Amazon.co.uk | Americandust.net
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