"It's amazing, how happiness depends on such little things."
—David Amram featured in Alana Amram's "Red Rose"
It's often been said that it's anything but easy being the child of a successful artist; societal pressures and expectations from those who surround them more often than not derail the paths that individuals take to find their own destiny. History has proven this far too many times, with offspring mimicking their more successful parents, to diminishing returns. It's a much tougher road to go out on one's own, pursuing a creative career that one can proudly put their own stamp on, while remaining close to, and even incorporating family into one's own art.
When the above happens, the results can be glorious, as in the case of two recent releases from singer-songwriter and musician siblings Adam and Alana Amram. Growing up as the children of composer and musician David Amram, they were exposed to the music and art of many cultures, being part of a family where creativity was nurtured and encouraged. Together with their papa, the three talented Amrams often share the same stage with their respective combos, proving there's truth to the old adage that the family that plays together, stays together.
Look no further for proof of diversity than the mix of styles and musical mashups on Alana Amram's Movies EP. The lead track, "Red Rose," managed to blend her father's spoken quotes (including the one that opens this piece) with Alana's dance pop beats and entrancing vocals. It's a fusing of the past and the present, creating a track that blurs generations and allows the beatniks and the club kids to groove together on the dance floor. Other songs on Movies have a darker feel, with serious lyrics backed by heavy beats. The title track, with Amram's strong vocals backed by a swampy musical backing, is another highlight. It's fascinating to hear and explore the fusions that Amram is diving into, and one can only wonder what her future releases will hold in store for listeners.
In concert, Alana Amram's songs take on a different feeling; stripped down and laid bare, and brought to life with backing from her band, they reveal a sensitive singer-songwriter, one steeped in the past but looking towards a brighter future. They bring to life a cosmic country, while also drawing influences from country rock pioneers like Michael Nesmith and the Burrito Brothers. Watching Amram perform, I could easily picture her singing on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, commanding it with her presence and storytelling, just as she did a thousand miles away when I saw her on the slightly smaller but no less powerful stage of TV Eye in Ridgewood, Queens.
Alana Amram (photo by Snake Garcia) and Adam Amram (photo by Alec Castillo)
Also performing that same night on the bill, to put it modestly (after all, the event was billed as an album release party for him!), was the Adam Amram Family Band. As they closed out the night in Ridgewood, I was wowed by both the band's music and Adam's original songs, many from his latest album, To The End.
Watching Adam on the stage, it's easy to make visual comparisons to a young Bob Dylan; both wiry and creative, both owning the stage in their respective eras. Musically, Adam Amram pulls inspiration from a variety of influences; as one reviewer put it, there are strains of Arlo Guthrie's humor, the dryness of Lou Reed, and touches of the earthiness of Richie Havens, and yes, the aforementioned Dylan influences can't be ignored. Amram wears his influences on his vest, but tangles them up with his own unique country twang, ably assisted by his whip-smart band of musicians. They could be playing in a dive bar in Montana, or a rock club in Queens; it doesn't matter. Where they go, they capture the stage, and the audience.
A sense of wanderlust certainly applies to Amram's latest album. To The End calls for a yearning to get away from the city and towards an open future, albeit one not yet known. And in the mindset we currently live in, many can no doubt relate. Songs like the single "Get in Line" show a world weariness in his vocals, perhaps expected of an artist several decades older who's toured the globe and seen its highs and lows. But far from aping other artists, Amram comes across as genuine.
In a way, the two Amram siblings share a communal sense of cosmic adventure, albeit on different paths. When those paths do merge occasionally, magic ensues; when the pair closed out the night in Queens by singing along with their father in an Amram family jam, joined by their respective bands, you couldn't help but feel it in the air. Happiness can indeed come from little things.
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