Singer Lee's varied sound rings a bell

Blues, gospel, rock, soul, indie — Amos Lee does it all on his latest album, “Mission Bell.”

Ambitious in its use of the varying genres, Lee’s fourth album does not get dredged down in the attempt to vary itself. Instead, it focuses on the raw emotion of the lyrics, accompanied by the differing sounds.  

“Mission Bell” is charged with raw, powerful emotion. With Lee’s characteristic voice and riffs, the new presence of this searching feeling electrifies the lyrics of the songs.

“Violin” is a powerful song that encompasses a sense of inadequacy, which ultimately leads to a search for fulfillment. While Lee uses his typical sound in “Violin,” he adapts this search to different styles, such as in the song “Jesus.”

More akin to gospel, “Jesus” powerfully searches for help from (who else?) Jesus while admitting his defeat and loneliness. In “Out of the Cold,” Lee embraces darker tones to evoke desperation and longing.

An intense, moving album, “Mission Bell” will not disappoint those searching for honest music.