Dreamland – Amos Lee
*** ½

I’ve been a fan of Amos Lee’s music since seeing him open for Bob Dylan in 2007. Dreamland is Lee’s eighth album and the follow-up to 2018’s My New Moon. The album sound quality is great, thanks to producer Leggy Langdon. The eleven songs feature Lee’s excellent vocals, and a variety of musical styles, including acoustic ballads, gospel and R&B.
Lee has said “I’ve had a lot of episodes with anxiety in my life and now I feel much more equipped to handle them, partly because my family and friends have always been so supportive of me. Over the course of my life, I’ve come to understand that music is my bridge to other people. I have no idea what the waters are like below that bridge—it might be lava for all I know—but music allows me to float over the whole thing and connect.”

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Here are a few comments about each song:

Dreamland – In Dreamland, nothing’s ever what it seems. When he feels it tearing him down, that’s when he hears his angel’s calls. He is reaching out for someone (God? a woman?) but they just listen to him scream. This song features piano, guitar, bass, drums, and synth.
Key lyrics:
But I, I’m not afraid to dream
Even when I can’t stop shaking
Even when my heart is breaking
And I, I’m not afraid to dream
Even when I can’t stop falling
Even when the light calling

Worry No More – This song, the first to be released from the album, was written prior to the pandemic. Lee has said that it is about walking out into the city listening to music, and disappearing into the crowd, The uplifting song features, finger snaps, bass, backing vocals, drums and piano.
Key lyrics:
Worry no more
Oh, worry no more
There’s an open door for you

How You Run – This song, written to a fighter, features guitar, bass, drums and backing vocals. The lyrics do get a bit repetitive, though musically the song is excellent, especially the guitar.
Key lyrics:
Pretty baby
Who will save you
Who will you know?
Not your mother
Not your father
A firefight breaks out in the fog

Into The Clearing – This features guitar, keys, bass, and drums. Regrets have been taking a toll on him. He wants to burn up and disappear into the clearing.
Key lyrics:
I can be free again
Into the clearing

Hold You – This song features guitar, synth, bass, and drums. She doesn’t need to be fixed as she isn’t broken. He doesn’t want to cause her any pain. As she fights through, he will be standing with her.
Key lyrics:
There is a shelter
A sweet little shack
Want to sit with me?
Wait peacefully for the storm to pass
Beauty beneath me
Beauty above me
I want you to reach me, want you to teach me how I can love you

See The Light – This song has a gospel flavor both musically and lyrically. It features synth, keys, guitar, backing vocals, bass, and handclaps.
Key lyrics:
When I fall off the map and disappear without a trace
Even when I can’t breathe in
And I’m falling out of line
Everybody ’round me says that everything gonna be alright

It’s Real – This song features synth, bass, drums, and piano. His love is real even when she wants to walk away.
Key lyrics:
And if you want me, I’d fall at your feet

Seeing Ghosts – This song features piano, bass, and drums. He’s seeing ghosts everywhere. They disappear in the light. He’s not scared.
Key lyrics:
From where you stand
From where you see me
Am I a mystery?
Part of your history?

Shoulda Known Better – This song features a falsetto vocal, guitar, backing vocals, bass, and handclap.
Key lyrics:
I shoulda known better but I didn’t guess
I shoulda known better but I got no regrets

Clean – This song features guitar, bass, handclap, backing vocals
Nothing can come between them except for his demons, which won’t leave his side. Will she wait for him?
Key lyrics:
Will you wait, will you wait
Will you wait for me?

Invisible Oceans – This song features acoustic guitar, bass, synth and drums. Lee sings that in invisible oceans, we get so carried away.
Key lyrics:
It’s unbearable that I can’t lift the weight of her world
And I guess it was delusional to think ever could

Best songs:
Dreamland
Worry No More
Hold You
See the Light
Shoulda Known Better

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• The Hymns of Matt Boswell and Matt Papa. Enjoy twenty-three hymns from Matt Boswell and Matt Boswell in this video playlist.
• Top 10 Sing! Conference Singing Moments. My wife Tammy have enjoyed travelling to Nashville to attend the Sing! Getty Worship Music Conference the past few years. Here, from Keith Getty, are the top 10 singing moments from the five years of the conference. (Note: my two favorites are Andrew Peterson singing “Is He Worthy” with a 300-person choir and a surprise appearance from Matt Redman, singing “10,000 Reasons”).
• I Am Yours. Enjoy this acoustic version of “I Am Yours” from NEEDTOBREATHE, who will soon be going on the Into the Mystery Acoustic Tour.
• Sunday Bloody Sunday. Bono and Edge of U2 recently shared a new acoustic performance of “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, complete with a new closing verse. The performance was captured at home in Dublin and came on January 30, 2022, the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
• Down to Joy. Van Morrison’s song “Down to Joy” from the film Belfast has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song.
• Stone.  It’s been far too long since we’ve had a new album from Trip Lee. Watch the video for “Stone”, from his new album The End.
  

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“Almost Home” by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, featuring Shane and Shane

 This week’s song of the week is “Almost Home” by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell and featuring Shane and Shane. This is the first song released from the album Sing! In Christ Alone album, which will be released April 15.

The song was written by Matt Papa, Matt Boswell and Lauren Papa. Watch the video of the performance from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville here.

[Verse 1]
Don’t drop a single anchor, we’re almost home
Through every toil and danger, we’re almost home
How many pilgrim saints have before us gone?
No stopping now, we’re almost home
[Verse 2]
That promised land is callin’, we’re almost home
And not a tear shall fall then, we’re almost home
Make ready now your souls for that Kingdom come
No turning back, we’re almost home
[Chorus]
Almost home, we’re almost home
So press on toward that blessed shore
Oh, praise the Lord, we’re almost home
[Verse 3]
This journey ours together, we’re almost home
Unto that great forever, we’re almost home
What song anew we’ll sing ’round that happy throne
Come faint of heart, we’re almost home
[Chorus]
Almost home, we’re almost home
So press on toward that blessed shore
Oh, praise the Lord, we’re almost home
[Instrumental Bridge]
[Verse 4]
This life is just a vapor, we’re almost home
That sun is settin’ yonder, we’re almost home
Take courage, for this darkness shall break to dawn
Oh, lift your eyes, we’re almost home
[Chorus]
Almost home, we’re almost home
So press on toward that blessed shore
Oh, praise the Lord, we’re almost home
Almost home, we’re almost home
So press on toward that blessed shore
Oh, praise the Lord, we’re almost home