Album Review: Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers “Songs in the Night”
Release Date: April 28, 2009
Label: Ramsuer Records
In the Bloody Interview we did with Samantha Crain her Midnight bandmates jokingly admitted, “we chime in musically to make it accessible to normal people.” Quickly she responds with a smile, “I bring them a song and they make it good.” And finally guitarists Stephen Sebastian summarizes the whole discussion by pointing out that “we are the bridge between Samantha and the world.”
Without trying to sound pretentious, after thinking about this exchange I got to wondering, “what inaccessibility?”
Perhaps in the raw and initial stages of the songs off “Songs in the Night”, with just Crain on the guitar singing into a tape player, the music was discombobulated and the lyrics nonsensical. Then the Shivers stepped in and completely revolutionized the sound of the album, helping Crain refine the music so she could reconstruct the lyrics. That would be the only way I could think that would lead them to suggest that she is inaccessible, because what the final product demonstrates is far from it.
Songs in the Night opens with a solo Crain on the guitar singing, “I will give into the dark clouds and/ I will sing with the frog in my throat,” and is shortly thereafter joined by the rest of her band. What the two (Crain and the Shivers) do together is pure harmony. Crain brings to the table her book of poetry (penning lyrics like “Oh, ghost of reason/ Oh, fool of love/ From where come your division if not from above?” from the song Long Division, or “The trees were my audience applauding/ The chair, I swear it was a cat for my company/ That piano, its the angels/ Calling me home” from Bananafish Revolution, or “When the lantern dies, chase your shadow all the way north/ Hold down your fort and breath/ Know your maker and tie up your death” from Calm Down), an idea for a melody, and the Shivers fill in the rest with steady rythyms and gently distorted folk guitar. The unsung hero of this album is bass player Andrew Tanz, providing background vocals that act like the garnish on top of the cake: not necessary, but oh man does it just add that final beautiful touch.
Early this year I declared The Dam Song my early favorite for Best Song of 2009. But quickly trying to fight its way to the top is another off this album, Get the Fever Out.
“Get the Fever Out” by Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers
I think ultimately the decision of “accessibility” lies with the listener. And if you find thoughtful lyrics, meaniful instrumentation, and an album that flows well “inaccessible”, well, then I am not sure that we will ever make your ears bleed.
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excellent!