Sam Saunders and the behind the curtain art rock blend of "Be Enough"

 

"one more, can you drown me / you just hold me / because I missed you so much / all the drugs just aren't enough / aren't enough..."


There are things happening in "Be Enough" by songwriter / multi-instrumentalist / producer Sam Saunders that intuitively shouldn't work but do. It feels ostensibly like baroque rock waltz but with a shuffling trip hop beat moving it along. Then there are the hip hop blips and transmissions as percussive ambience, the drones of drama, not to mention the sort of classical piano nods set against screaming psych rock guitars (that had me thinking of James Mankey). The bass line moves in lovely ways and there is enough sparseness in sections of the mix to hear the keys and other faint sounds poking through. Saunder's vocal countenance goes down easy, pained and reflective, "one more, can you drown me / you just hold me / because I missed you so much / all the drugs just aren't enough / aren't enough...".

The ending vibratone flutter on the guitar is smile inducing. "Be Enough" is from Saunder's new LP "Onto-Communication Rescue" with all vocals, instruments and production by Sam and recorded in his modest home studio. I might wish that the guitars felt more upfront and the EQ / spread felt a bit different but that would be nit-picking. "Be Enough" is a solid surprise and like an amalgam of artists like Portishead, Be Bop Deluxe, Longpigs, Motorpyscho (to name a few), I get the sense that the art rock gods would be happy and that the melancholia is broad enough to include acerbic self deprecating looks in the mirror. 

-Robb Donker Curtius

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://www.facebook.com/samueladamsaunders

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7rQXmGUwYieliMB8HaOuVs

https://www.instagram.com/plasticonosam/

https://samsaunders.hearnow.com/

While stopping short at the loaded “concept album” tag, Onto-Communication Rescue is a complete statement. Years in the making, the 12 song LP is an artfully crafted synthesis of classic psychedelic rock, deeply personal songwriting, layered production and post-modern experimentation. Recurrent themes of alienation, subculture, nostalgia, addiction, communication (yes!) and redemption reign supreme. Multi-tracked layers of vocals, guitars and keyboards reside in a dense, dreamy patchwork that recalls the distant past even as it hints at present and future. Multi-instrumentalist Sam Saunders is heavily influenced by John Lennon/The Beatles, David Bowie (all eras!), Brian Wilson, Jeff Lynne, Pink Floyd, The Stones, Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth, as well as the ambitious late 90’s work of Radiohead, Portishead and The Verve. Saunders favors a live approach to his numerous overdubs, utilizing no digital editing beyond drum loops and no programming beyond drum machines, opting instead to plug in and play in his modest home studio. Saunders is best known for the 2000 LP My Pulse For Future (“refreshingly trippy”…”a new voice in electronic music”- Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-Times), the decidedly retro Sam Saunders LP of 2005, as well as fronting The Sam Saunders Machine throughout Chicago in the mid to late 2000’s.


Onto-Communication Rescue is available now on Amazon, Apple, iTunes and Spotify.

Sam Saunders, songwriter, producer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, "Be Enough", new album "Onto-Communication Rescue", alt rock, post rock, dream pop, experimental, one man band, art rock,