When it comes to me and acoustic-punk-singer-songwriter stuff it’s not the best relationship in the last years, cause the older I get the more bored I get when it’s just a voice and an acoustic guitar. But when I saw that Sam Chalcraft released his latest record, I thought I’ll give it a shot, cause he is one of those nice guys around here in Austria that I always have nice chats with at gigs.
Luckily I decided to listen to the record, cause on one hand the songwriting is really good and we all know I’m a lyric junkie and on the other hand there are more instruments included than an acoustic guitar. It’s a whole band playing some of the songs. For example in the song Making Friends With The Bogeyman, which is by the way a tune that instantly gets stuck in your head, you can hear a piano playing.
The record was produced and recorded in California by Joey Cape from Lagwagon and released via his label One Week Records.
Last Stop Pluto is more a punkrock song than a slow song and gives you a bit of a break from the more quiet songs like the following song Jeff.
Speaking of Jeff, that’s my favourite on the whole record, it jumped on me when I first listened to it and got stuck there. It somehow reminds me on those big songwriters from the 60ies or 70ies who are not only great musicians, but also big storytellers.
His name is Jeff and you can’t stereotype thee
and to try is just one failure of humanity
haven’t we fought enough of other people’s fucking wars?
So for the sake of sanity I ask
my name’s Jeff
and what is yours?
The fresh and faster From Busk Till Dawn somehow wakes you up a bit from the dreamy mood you got in the song before. Really like the changes of speed and the mix of solo songs and songs with more band like stuff.
All in all it’s a record that really shows what great and versatile musician Sam is. If you have the chance to see him live go for it or if you ever go to Vienna Sam is also playing shows in subway stations nearly every week.
– written by Martin
