Amos Lee Illuminates Nature With 'No More Darkness, No More Light'

Philadelphia singer-songwriter Amos Lee is preparing for a new chapter in his life. His new album My New Moon is being released on Aug. 31 on his new label, Dualtone Records, and comes one month short of two years since his last album, Spirit. Lee's upcoming album, his seventh since he released his self-titled debut in 2005, continues to showcase his soulful voice and empathetic lyrics. It was recorded at Zeitgeist Studio in Los Angeles and produced by Tony Berg, with contributions from multi-instrumentalists Ethan Gruska and Blake Mills, Benmont Tench and Patrick Warren on keyboards, and Greg Leisz on pedal steel guitar.

World Cafe premieres a stunning acoustic performance of Lee's "No More Darkness, No More Light," a song whose final incarnation was inspired by the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl. last February. Lee told Billboard that the song originally had a different title and lyrics, but always had its graceful African-influenced groove and melody.

He told Billboard:

"The day after Parkland happened, I was just like — as I think we all were and continue to be — overcome with what the kids were saying and what our history in the United States is and what I feel like some of our obligations to each other are, and I rewrote the whole song," Lee says. "I didn't tell Tony (Berg) I did it, and I went in the next day and said, 'I think I rewrote the song.' So he ran the tape down and we did it, and ... thank you to those kids for sharing their stories with us. Hopefully there's some constructive feeling about this tragedy."

Watch the acoustic version of "No More Darkness, No More Light." Directed by filmmaker and photographer Aaron Farrington at Estouteville Farm outside of Charlottesville, Va., it captures Lee in a warm, beautiful, au natural setting. Stripped away is the liquid, hypnotic groove of the studio version, but all in service to the message and lyrics of the song.

My New Moon is out on Aug. 31 on Dualtone Records.

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