Sam and Me - The Battle of Hemsby (Akoustik Anarky)
3/5
By: Liane Escorza
Sam and Me’s debut album The Battle of Hemsby may have taken such an effort to make (in “Me” a.k.a. Rowan’s bedroom as a matter of fact), but the final product is a dream-like ensemble of overly sweet pop harmonies and warm-ish (British summer warmth, that is) love struck grogginess. The summery harmonies of this Simon & Garfunkel-esque twosome (more of the -esque than the duo’s mastery itself) sound of delusion and of fading, run down seaside resorts rather than the blissful explosion of colour and stimuli expected.
‘Sonic Boomerang’, their first single, is a somewhat ironic tune for a, let’s say, lazy jogger while ‘Green Fingers’ starts off with a drunken dizzy keyboard melody which lifts expectations but falls into oblivion. These two are among a few of neither-here-nor-there tracks that distract the listener away from much more elaborate and beautifully arranged string work on ‘Cloud Sounds’ and ‘The Book’. In fact, ‘A Lying, Down Disposition’ would be a more appropriate tune for a first single, with its poppy feast and upbeat drum splashes. In any case, however, ‘London’, and ‘If I fall, Can I?’ are no doubt the saviours of this pastry-puffed first album for their nostalgic and soulful tension, conveying imagery of hidden kisses in the park and a salty beach water caressing ones’ feet.
Still, even though lyrics are supposed to be optimistic, the overall message of these floaty melodies does not really match the emotion of the music. Lyrics are long, straightforward and simple but lines are rarely complete sentences – just commonly heard statements such as “I’ll be there”, “You’re all I ever wanted”, “It keeps us together”. If only they were wittier, I would probably choose to believe their positive and naïve approach to first-loves, break-up pain and Council Tax frustration. Yet instead, it leaves m with a dampened air of post-family holiday stress and a sticky taste of cotton candy.
Artists in this article: Sam and Me
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