Sam Amidon has announced his ninth album, Willing Brother Knowing, which will be released on Friday February 26th 2027 via River Lea Records, a division of Rough Trade. It was recorded and produced by Big Thief drummer James Krivchenia, and is available to pre-order now.
The first track, ‘Innisfree’, is his setting of the W.B. Yeats poem, with uilleann pipes from Isaac Alderson and piano from Thomas Bartlett (Doveman). The video is directed by Allyn Quigley.
Willing Brother Knowing is a folk album, drawn from traditional songs, hymns and fiddle tunes, both Irish and Appalachian, but played with a rock band, with drums, electric guitar and synths. Along with the Yeats setting there are old shape note hymns including ‘China’ and ‘Dying Californian’, and ‘A Trip to Athlone / The Lonesome Jig’.
Amidon has a long-standing affinity with Irish music, and has played Ireland a number of times, including recent shows in Dún Laoghaire with his partner Beth Orton. We featured his previous album Salt River when it came out.
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He also served as music advisor and singing coach on the film The History of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, and performed in Teaċ Daṁsa’s show Nobodaddy in 2024.
Tracklist
- Daniel In the Lion’s Den
- Hangman
- China
- Hiram Stamper
- The Snow It Melts
- Innisfree
- A Trip to Athlone / The Lonesome Jig
- Dying Californian
- Vineyard
- Blackjack Groove
- Standing in the Doorway
- Banjo Rock
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
