Unglued Reviews

Samiam’s first album back together after a hiatus of six years is a fair cracker. Vocalist Jason Beebout had gotten so out of practice during the time spent apart that he ended up redoing some of the early takes once he got back in the swing of things, but that extra effort certainly pays off, with his full-bodied delivery being one of the album’s strengths – especially on album opener When We’re Together (which also features a killer melody and so much energy you’d swear they’d been bottling it up solely for that track for six years). And although guitarist and main songwriter Sergie Loobkoff has kept his hand in during the interim writing brilliant gems for indie supergroup of sorts Solea, two of the most memorable tracks on Whatever’s Got You Down (the aforementioned When We’re Together and Believer, which begins delicately but features a chorus big enough to demolish Tokyo) were actually penned by guitarist Sean Kennerly, who wasn’t even in the band for releases such as 1997’s You Are Freaking Me Out.

There’s a lot to love about this album. Beebout’s passionate delivery and evocative lyrics top the list, but the way the strong melody lines work equally well with both the band’s punk energy and their indie rock sensibilities is also irresistible.

The punchy chorus of Do You Want To Be Loved complements its more plaintive verses, while the crashing drums and jittery guitars of Anything are simultaneously sweet and aggressive. The oppressive beginning to Storm Clouds opens expansively into a chorus that embraces you without reservation, and Come Home, while more plodding in its pace and featuring a markedly restrained vocal performance, is an equally essential part of the overall Samiam picture, adding even more emotional depth to the album.

Some reunions prompt listeners to question why they bothered; Whatever’s Got You Down makes you question why Samiam ever stopped making music in the first place.

Owen Heitmann