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lex Amen knows a good documentary when he sees one. “I can watch a great movie, and it can shape the way that I see the world,” the 26-year-old singer-songwriter says. “But a good documentary will change my life.” He means that literally. Several years ago, while in his first semester at Chapman University in Orange, California, Amen watched Long Strange Trip, the 2017 Grateful Dead doc that spans four hours. “It struck such a chord in me,” he says. “It’s, like, the ultimate sales pitch for anybody who wants to be in a band. I called my parents, literally the next week, and said, ‘I’m dropping out of school.’ And I bought a van.”
His Dead awakening is just one of the many turning points in Amen’s journey, from a stint in a historic commune in Anaheim to several years on a remote island in Washington’s Puget Sound. It all leads to the release of his fantastic debut, Sun of Amen, out now via ATO Records. It’s a travelogue of sorts, featuring 10 tracks of stunning acoustic folk, best heard while walking around in nature — sublime summer listening at its finest. But getting here wasn’t easy, and Amen doesn’t hesitate when asked about the theme of the album. “It’s heartbreak across the country,” he says. “I really struggled with ‘How do I get these heartbreak songs away from each other so it’s not this giant bummer?’ Towards the end of the record, you’re like, ‘All right, come on, get over it.’”
