The cover art makes it look like a children’s book, but Hans York’s Young Amelia is actually a deftly assembled collection of beautifully unassuming folk songs. Fans of gentle vocals and open tunings, a la David Wilcox and Michael Franks, have a new friend in York – or maybe he isn’t “new” at all, having shared stages with everyone from Robert Palmer to Germany’s Ars Quittilinga Chamber Orchestra; either way, anyone with a weakness for songcraft would do well to acquaint themselves with the talented multi-instrumentalist. For Young Amelia, York and his crew flexed some old-school muscle, recording the album’s 12 tracks in a six-day stretch, often without the aid of overdubs – not that you could tell from listening to it. The songs are simple – there isn’t a single right angle or rough edge in here – but there’s comfort in their simplicity; listening to the album is like stretching out in front of a sunny window on a spring afternoon. The album probably isn’t sexy enough to grab most people’s attention, but those who find it will be very glad they did. (LABEL: Hazzazar 2008
