In his self-titled album, Amos Lee presents an impressive debut which reflects his imaginative artistry. A fusion of folk and soul, the entire disc is influenced by the music of the ’60s and ’70s, which brings a retro elegance to his music.

Lee’s music unites and inspires with a punchy American tradition, delivering folk intimacy with his acoustic guitar and soul groove with his emotional lyrics. All 11 tracks are original works composed by Lee and recorded last July. Songs like “Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight” and “Arms of a Woman” are timeless, displaying qualities drawn from an earlier era of soul. The intrigue in his music is largely a result of his refusal to utilize the over-the-top trendiness that is signature of top 40 pop artists.

While most of his music is acoustic, Lee’s voice and impressive guitar playing become amplified in some tunes such as “Soul Suckers,” where he uses the pale string texture. Such diverse use of instrumentation makes the throbbing bass lines customary in so much of today’s music entirely unnecessary.

Lee’s inspiration comes from many folk and soul legends, and he has been quoted saying “my favorite time in music is probably 1970-75. Still Bill by Bill Withers, Harvest by Neil Young, John Prine’s first album, James Taylor’s One Man Dog — I hope I can bring the same sort of spirit I hear on those records.” Lee was indeed successful in his endeavor to include the stylings of past musical greats: Bob Dylan followers will appreciate Lee’s “Seen It All Before,” while “Give It Up” echoes Bill Withers. Influenced by John Prine, the humor, spirit and melody of “Bottom of the Barrel” combine unusual elements for a spicy sound. Adding to the unexpected mix is “Black River,” which is vaguely remiscent of an old spiritual.

The most appealing aspect of Lee’s music is the fact that it is impossible to classify his work under one specific genre. Both sultry and mild, the singer-songwriter’s innovative lyrics are infused with depth and variety and are flexible enough to convey strong emotions to his audience. This coupled with velvety vocals, allows Amos Lee to set a mellow tone with a light smoothness in sound.

At 27 years old, the South Carolina native has experienced several lives. Upon graduating with an English degree, Lee was employed as a teacher at a Philadelphia elementary school, but quit in dogged pursuit of his musical dream, while bartending and waiting tables. Finally on the road to success, he is now performing in Europe and Japan and finishing out 2005 with a fall tour of the United States. Because of his innovative artistry and fluidly sexy voice, Amos Lee is a must-hear for all music lovers.

–Sophia Yan