ALBUM REVIEW: Alex Amen is Rooted in Reverence, Alive in the Present on Debut, ‘Sun of Amen’
Sun of Amen, the debut album from Alex Amen, is what happens when a young man in 2026 has spent his formative years worshipping a lovingly worn stack of his parents’ vinyl, modeling his sound after a different generation’s heroes. The clear-throated moan of early-career Harry Nilsson,
Black News 
Sun of Amen, the debut album from Alex Amen, is what happens when a young man in 2026 has spent his formative years worshipping a lovingly worn stack of his parents’ vinyl, modeling his sound after a different generation’s heroes. The clear-throated moan of early-career Harry Nilsson, the wistfulness of John Denver, the sneaky heartfelt melodies of Jim Croce, are all present in these songs.
But Amen doesn’t don the mantle of past generations like some Bobby Dupea costume. He’s lived it, with stints in film school, music school, on a commune, living on a relatively isolated island in the Puget Sound, roaming New York City’s folk scene, and recording at Los Angeles’ iconic Zorthian Ranch. Like the artist behind it, Sun of Amen is free of put-ons, too, managing the delicate sonic balance of pastoral ‘70s folk music, and the bright-eyed clarity of hi-fi recording with grace.
