Welcome back to BuzzMusic Samson Crowe. We are happy to chat about your new EP 'Strange Animals'. How are you doing in this crazy time right now and how are you using your music to cope with everything going on in the world right now?
The beauty of music is that there is always something to work on. I think this point in time for everyone is “Okay, everything is now completely off track. Tours are canceled, albums are delayed, even full band rehearsals are on hold. Now what?”. I am embracing it as a creative starting point. I think it’s really important as musicians to stay open-minded and look for new things to try. Everybody is looking for a way to stay connected and we can be involved in that in a big way. The other exciting part is there is a subtle reset button that’s been pressed, and I feel like I have the opportunity to rethink and refine everything I wanna do after the outbreak recedes. There are endless possibilities and I think people will be itching to celebrate.
Let’s talk about your latest EP release, “Strange Animals”. What were your goals with this EP and how did you successfully execute?
My goals for this EP were to explore some of the more complex emotions involved in looking at the future. I think it conveys a certain level and uncertainty, but also a certain level of gratitude for life as it is. One of the things I really wanted to convey was curiosity. It was released on New Years Eve, and me and all my friend are quite young so we’d only seen the decade turn over once when we were children, and once before we could talk. It was new, and nine of us really knew what that meant.
Which song from “Strange Animals” do you believe best represents the theme of the EP and why? How would you describe your songwriting approach towards it?
The song “Strange Animals” opens the EP, and I think it’s lyrics establish the intrigue and fun of uncertainty, which is a big theme of the EP, but “The Last Stop Before the Future!” really tries everything together. It’s a take on “Auld Lang Syne”, meant to really reign in a quiet warmth and unity as we move forward as individuals and as communities. It was a New Years song, but it’s still one of my most requested pieces, and I guess it’s because people feel that way often. My approach to writing it was quite hectic. I had the idea quite late into November, so it was a matter of just getting it together in time for New Years. Usually rushed songs don’t turn out that good, but that song was really lead by its fairly simple structure. I felt like l could’ve written 20 good verses for that song without breaking a sweat.
What can we expect from your anticipated release of “High & Wild”?
”High & Wild” is an album I’ve wanted to make for years. In the early stages, it was a rock ‘n’ roll album in every sense, and in some ways it still is but as I’ve developed as an artist so has the concept. It’s a high energy album, but it’s also got a heavy lean towards poetry, with each song trying its best to represent something human. It follows the struggle of relationships and community and some of the innate conflicts with individuality and personal maturity. I think it flourishes production-wise too. I mean I’m not gonna oversell it because it is a “spare room” album, but I think it does a good job of utilizing the versatility of vintage sounds (which is much more accessible for home productions), while not being a vintage record, it’s something entirely new. That’s why at this point I hesitate to outright call it a rock ‘n’ roll album. It’s evolved a lot since then. I had to wait for the material to come to me. I knew what I wanted but the songs weren’t quite there yet. I’m quite happy with it now, it’s just a matter of finding a good time to release it since the music industry is still finding its footing again.
Thank you for talking with us Samson. What do you hope your fans and listeners take away from "Strange Animals"?
I hope they feel at home with it. It draws from inspirations that remind me of sitting in the sun on the porch or just being surrounded by friends and I think I would want people to feel some of the comfort in that.
Listen to "Strange Animals", here.