Album Review – Alex Amen’s “Sun of Amen”

Country Folk (#575) and Folk-Inspired Americana (#570.1) on the Country DDS.

Good luck finding another album released this year or in many others that so meticulously, deftly, and delicately delivers a fully immersive experience of mood-pleasing country folk that immediately grips the senses, disarms all tension, and alters the mood towards a more favorable demeanor. You’ll be saying “Amen” whenever anyone asks if you have any new music to recommend for them, especially to get through these tumultuous times.

Granted, Alex Amen’s Sun of Amen is more country-adjacent than it is by God country music, maybe close akin to early Waylon Jennings and his country folk era, or the ’60 Glen Campbell vibe minus all the excessive strings. Jim Croce, America, Cat Stevens, and Gordon Lightfoot might also make good comparisons, but with a generous amount of steel guitar to go along with songs of heartbreak that are just as “country” as anything, giving ample entry points for country listeners, while also distinguishing itself to avoid being just another country or folk album exclusively.

If nothing else, Sun of Amen is an exquisite specimen of studio craft top to bottom. Really not since those old classic country albums from Zephaniah OHora have we heard a release that so expertly captures not just an intended vibe, but an era in audio form. And just like all of the songs on the album, the production of Sun of Amen is all the fault of Alex Amen.

We’ve definitely heard attempts to capture this mid ’60s mauve and olive green era in modern music before. Dan Auerbach has released an entire catalog of this material with burgeoning country performers on his Easy Eye Sound label. But even though these albums often get all the obvious things right, they miss the more subtle textures that really complete the experience, and allow an album like Sun of Amen to capture a mood so masterfully.

Though it’s fair to say that some of the themes of the songs rest on common subjects like in the song “Peaches,” this commonality also lends to the immersive, full-bodied experience of this record, and insures that no anachronistic elements creep in to ruin the mood, while other songs count the writing as an asset.

But Sun of Amen doesn’t just lean on vibes and style to complete its mission. Strong moments of compositional prowess and imaginative approaches to structure present themselves in the piano ballads “Memories of You,” and the conclusive track “Lonely People.” Yet it’s the combination of familiar tones brought to new, original recordings like “Cabin By The Sea” and “California Blues” that renders this album so damn fetching.

About the only song that’s straight folk is “April.” This is balanced out by the pretty country moments of “Please Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.” And all of this is graced by perhaps the album’s greatest single asset: Alex Amen’s plaintive, yet soothing voice that rests so well within the music to make for a near perfect listening experience.

Perhaps Sun of Amen‘s most brilliant master stroke is the way it creates a perfect bridge from country to folk and back again, and in a manner that cross pollinates appeal and makes fast friends of all throwback roots fans by bringing forth the best of both genres and blending them brilliantly. How can’t we all get along when the music of Alex Amen is playing?

There will be better songs, and better collections of songs in 2026. But when it comes to an album that you can set to play, leave it running and repeating endlessly that will fill a home or a happy road trip with nothing but mood-enhancing moments, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better replacement to Sun of Amen.

8.6/10

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Purchase /Stream Sun of Amen