We’ve been enjoying Brooklyn songwriter and Doveman homie Sam Amidon’s forthcoming All Is Well, so we were happy to see the Jeremy Blatter-concocted, found footage-filled video for the lovely “Saro,” complete with Nico Muhly’s gorgeous, flourishing arrangements. Opening with some hopeful, sadly untrue dialog about the unchanging prairies, the preacher tells us, “Yes ma’am, we need music out here.” Here here. Then it’s those moody horns, covered wagons, a Beirut-y oceanside, and Sam telling us, “I came to this country in 1849.” Enter the cowboys.
The dust and sunsetting’s reminiscent of “My Body Is A Cage”‘s super, Boss-approved fan-made video. Only, the cowboys aren’t as repressed. All Is Well, recorded and produced in Iceland by Will Oldham and Björk pal Valgeir Sigur?sson, is out 2/5 on Bedroom Community. The aforementioned Nico Muhly composed the bass, string, and woodwind parts. If you’re in the New York area, you can catch Amidon live tomorrow night (1/16) at Union Hall.
You Might Also Like
 Sam Amidon – “Relief” (R. Kelly Cover) |  Arcade Fire Return To SNL |  Doveman – “The Burgundy Stain” Video (Stereogum Premiere) |  Op-Ed: An Artists’ Dialogue On CocoRosie’s Grey Oceans |
 |
 |
this is magical.
It puts Sam in a little perspective to know that his parents, Peter and Mary Alice Amidon, are a big deal in the traditional folk world, at least in the northeast.
Especially as it explains the way he breathes a transcendant new life into old tunes like this.
(BTW – mp3 link for Saro from Captain Obvious’s interview with Sam: http://www.thankscaptainobvious-music.net/Songs/03%20Saro.mp3 )
The song is terrific. Lookin’ forward to hearing the full cd
salut