For a debut album The Sammies self-titled CD is not bad. They show that they do have some skills as song writers and seem to be comfortable in the studio. Of course they went out of their way to make sure they were as comfortable as possible by, according to their press release that accompanied the album, they chose a smaller label that was based in their home town of Charlotte, NC and recorded there as well. Again, this is their first album so there is still a lot of room for growth.
Frank Backgammon’s baritone and almost incoherent mumbling lead vocals is a cross between David Byrne and Beck with a more blues feel. The band lists “a host of 80’s bands, early alternative rock” as some of their influences and it shows on songs such as “For John” where the guitar sounds much like A Flock of Seagull’s “I Ran (So Far Away).” This is also one of the best songs on the album.
The highlight of the album is track number three, “Falling Out.” The harmonies are excellent. The guitars play off each other well. This song is the strongest case that “The Sammies” are on the right track and have a bright future. Although they probably will never be a headliner on a major tour, they should certainly gain a decent following on the Indie scene.
The biggest problem with the album is the strength of the songs. On many of the tracks it seems easy to pick out the song that influenced it. Besides the above mentioned “For John” there is “Let it Go” which sounds like The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love,” track 10’s “Panther Leap” – “Pump it Up” by Mudhoney, “Angry Robots Revolt” and “Postman” which sound like just about every Talking Heads song known to man, especially on the bass lines and vocals. As they grow as musicians, they will also grow as song writers and this problem should correct itself. |