|
Shawn Amos : The Silverlake Sessions
One look at Shawn Amos’ biography and it’s obvious that he’s got quite a few stories to tell. Raised in affluent Beverly Hills, Sean has moved on to do quite a bit. From working as a screenwriter to seeking economic justice for the under-represented to executive status in A&R at Rhino records and then songwriting and performing, Amos has acquired a unique view on life. Joined by Patrick Milligan on banjo, guitar and back-up vocals, the multi-faceted perspective that Sean brings to his music provided the basis for a passionately delivered, audience-captivating show in the intimate performance space at Zen on Tuesday night
Shawn began his set with “Independence Day,” a soulful, heavy-hearted tale of the racist shortcomings of life in America. Milligan’s banjo accompaniment provided a rural, homegrown quality to the opener. Next was “Inside Out,” an example of melodic loveliness performed with an appropriately brooding guitar accompaniment. The mellow, mournful “Sick of Me” followed highlighting Amos’ gritty vocal talents.
From there, Amos switched gears with the passionate and lively “She Knows Everything” which gave the audience a chance to witness Amos’ impressive vocal range. “Fire Down Below” and “Burned” were performed with fiery vocals but with careful maintenance of the country, soulful theme that was the thread throughout his versatile set. “The Bottle Always Brings Me Down” is in Amos’ words, a drinking tune and perhaps a subtle salute to Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.” “Bad Timing” was woven with Milligan’s soft harmonies as Amos took us through a contemplative tale of the difficulties in love. Midway through the song, Amos abandoned his guitar pick to allow the guitar accompaniment to take on a less-edgy, muted effect. He closed with “Sugarsweet” which he prefaced with, “The Best thing about knowing someone like this is not knowing them anymore.” The lyrics conveyed that sentiment. “He’ll steal from you/Make it seem like his right/He’ll stab your back/Then ask for the knife/He’s only your best man/’Cause there ain’t no other man around.” Although the topic is cynical, the song had an upbeat folksy feel and the audience loved it.
The steady creation of tightly packaged rock stars and formulaic pop songs in Los Angeles are as predictable as traffic on the 405. Shawn Amos brings his audience a welcome reprieve from the homogeneity as it is clear by now that this is an artist that cannot be pigeonholed. Like Bruce Springsteen, his songs provide a window into the hardships and perspectives of the unacknowledged with straightforward, raw and sometimes even conversational lyrics. Like Bob Seger he is able to bring these stories to life with both simple and complex, untainted guitar arrangements that transcend an unlikely combination of genres and moods.
Article by: Katie Wharton
Submitted: August, 2003
Photos: Artist's Website
Artist Website: www.shawnamos.com
Email: Katie_Wharton@hotmail.com
| 
