Double A-Side: SAMANTHA FISH – “Watch It Die / Love Letters”
Samantha Fish – “Watch It Die / Love Letters” is available @ Apple Music.
by Walter Price
Blues, the hallowed foundation of Rock N’ Roll and a genre that’s been twisted and reshaped into infinite forms. As it’s becoming increasingly rare to find an artist who not only has the skills to cause a commotion among audiophiles and one whose doing something brilliantly their own, while respectfully utilizing nods to the sounds that came before them.
Critically acclaimed Samantha Fish is such an artist. And her recent Double A-side “Watch It Die / Love Letters” will, without doubt, continues her ascension to the upper echelons of rock-virtuoso royalty.
While the connective tissue is an obvious one on this release, what isn’t usual, is Fish’s sui generis blended brand of funk, soul, blues, and alternative in telling these tales. “Watch It Die” is a sustained locomotive of empowerment. The funk/soul heartbeat is reminiscent of what Red Hot Chili Peppers and Faith No More borrowed from Funkadelic and Sly Stone to construct their grooves. Although fun, what they didn’t fully have was Fish’s weighty song construction gravitas, and that is substantial.
“Wanna talk it out, you’re the only one talking now
Taker keeps taking, but the giver’s given out
Every word’s a brick, you’re building up a wall,
Asking me for answers, but you heard em all.
You can’t raise it up, baby if you stand around and watch it die. “
While “Love Letters” will certainly induce thoughts of Joan Armatrading and Beth Hart, the power is all Fish. Her vocal dexterity and the intricate arrangement, both magnetic and intoxicating. And, in my opinion, this is the track that folks will be talking about and adding to their summertime playlists post-haste.
Pack of smokes and your pocket change
Are all I got when you go away
It hurts my heart, but I can’t complain
I woulda done this anyway”
The album, ‘KILL OR BE KIND‘, via Rounder Records, is available now.
SAMANTHA FISH
+ Bulletproof film
First published 20. June 2019
Mixed By – Steve Reynolds
Producer – Scott Billington
“Watch It Die”, writers Samantha Fish/Patrick Sweany
“Love Letters”, writers Samantha Fish/Jim McCormick
VIDEO: Produced by Devon Williams // Artist photo via Facebook
tour dates / facebook / instagram
“After launching her recording career in 2009, Samantha Fish quickly established herself as a rising star in the contemporary blues world. Since then, the charismatic young singer-guitarist-songwriter has earned a reputation as a rising guitar hero and powerful live performer, while releasing a series of acclaimed albums that have shown her restless creative spirit consistently taking her in new and exciting musical directions.” – Rounder Records