Sam Lewis
Artist: Sam Lewis
Album: The City and I
Label: Hidden Pony
OUT NOW
Rating: 5/5
It’s been three years since the release of Sam Lewis’ debut album Everything You Are but this week he is back with his new record The City And I.
There was a real intimate feel to Sam’s debut album and he has managed to keep elements of that but there is a fuller sound to the record as he has included a wider range of instruments this time around.
But The City And I is a more personal record than his debut as Sam has draw on his own life and love experiences when penning this collection of fantastic tracks.
What Did I Do is the opening track on the record and this is a track that is just dripping with emotion and you really are left believing every single word.
It’s an incredibly simple song as Sam is supported mainly by an acoustic guitar which gives the track a very intimate and personal feel.
Throughout the whole of this fantastic album Sam has relied on purely on the instruments to support and bring his vocals to life instead of an over produced backing track.
And it just works so well as this shows off the deep and rich quality of his voice as well as letting his voice and the story of his songs take centre stage - anything produced would have totally destroying the feel of this record.
Throughout the album there is a real laid back feel to it and Hold The Line is a perfect example of that as the track just saunters along and a leisurely pace and this fits so well with Sam’s vocal style.
He is a singer that really gets under gets under your skin and pulls you into a track until you feel it washing over you. And he doesn’t do this with one of two tracks on this record but with all of them.
There isn’t a single weak track on this record and the title song The City And I is a particular stand out because it is just so simple.
It is a really great vocal performance from Sam on this record as he shows off the lower range of his fantastic voice.
What is so great about Sam Lewis and The City And I is you can’t put this album or this artist in any one box as he mixes folk and pop elements with a little of blues to produce an incredibly unique sounding album.
The City And I has seen Sam develop as both a singer and a songwriter and he has clearly honed his craft in the three years since his last album.
This is one of the best albums that I have heard so far this year and I am looking forward to what he produces next.
Sam Lewis - The City and I is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw