Sam Amidon is a Vermont-born singer with an absolutely unearthly voice, and he has been doing adventurous things with traditional folk music for many years. He has collaborated with people like Bon Iver, the National, and Dijon, and he served as music advisor and singing coach on the recent movie The History Of Sound . Also, he's married to Beth Orton, and I get surprised all over again everytime I'm reminded of that.

Amidon's streak of fascinating collaborations continues. Last year, he released Salt River , an album that he recorded with saxophonist Sam Gendel. Next year, he'll follow it with Willing Brother Knowing , a new LP produced by Big Thief drummer James Krivchenia. The record includes a number of old traditionals, and lead single "Innisfree" is a Yeats poem that Amidon set to music. It's almost eerily majestic.

In the Allyn Quigley-directed "Innisfree" video, Amidon hitchhikes down a lonely, rainy highway with his guitar.…