Sam Amidon suspects the trad-folk revival may be a reaction to the clinical sound of downloads. “The rough sound is definitely part of its appeal,” he says. “None of us wants to make polished music. These days, it’s all about DIY, and we’re definitely doing things our own way.”
“Beth Orton appears on Mr. Amidon’s excellent forthcoming album, “I See the Sign,” and their pairing makes sense: as she once did, he’s trying to see how rawboned, lonely-voiced traditional folk can be updated for city life. “ New York Times.