Sam Roberts Band has released their new record All of Us, and its already a spark of light in a dark time for many of us. Written over the last two years, and finished a mere few weeks prior to the sudden world-wide lockdown of Covid 19, the timing was not the best… or as Sam Roberts mused in our interview with him last week – perhaps the timing is exactly what we all need. I tend to agree with him.
I often review an album from the observer stance – what it might mean to the masses.. but this album is very personal. It’s hit me like a ton of bricks both as a reflective look at things in the world and in my life, but also as a positive feel-good shot in the arm that things will be alright.. there are better times ahead and love will bring things back into alignment. I think it’s Sam Roberts Band best album to date, and as much as I love their Collider album (and I love Collider) this album is more personal. And as such I’m going to give you my highlights but I urge you to listen, and form your own mental images and heart string pulls. After all, music is supposed to speak to each person uniquely.
‘Wolf Tracks‘ in all honesty took me about 4 listens to connect with it. And it connected in an abrupt slap across the head when I took my tunes outside, watched the storm clouds over our lake and just listened.
“Wolf tracks scattered by the wind keep calling me again… I’ve been running with the pack, now I’ve lost my way, I can’t find my way back and a voice is saying, run for the hills and don’t look back” This song is lonely to me, and can be interpreted in so many ways.. losing your way, running with the wrong pack of people, wanting to fit in to the right pack but it still has a glimmer of positivity:
“in our darkest hour, we’re running for our life….. there is another life, just take a step inside, there is no other life, so make the most of your time”
We get one life – make it count.. but there is always a different life if you’re not happy where you are; it just takes determination and changing your direction.. don’t follow the pack.
One of my favourite songs on the new album, is ‘War Chest‘. I had to look up what a war chest was: a collection of tools or money, to be used in challenging or dangerous times. We all have our memories ‘under lock and key‘, in our personal war chests, and bring them out to remember and look at when ‘the storm is overhead.’ Memories, experiences, smiles, love. “Take the stars and moon, lazy afternoon, all the things I love best. The way you used to laugh… the tears, the sacrifice, the way I dance you through the hall.” And Sam asks, ‘without love, where would we be?” Nowhere at all.
‘Ascension’ is the first single from All of Us and at first I didn’t feel like it fit with the rest of the songs, but having listened to the album a few times in its entirety, it makes more sense than hearing it as a single on the radio. According to Roberts, its a conversation between two different generations and a ‘rallying cry’ to not give up so easily; ‘its never too late to turn around, you’re not too old to try.’ A faster more upbeat song than the first two tracks, this one will automatically make you want to get up and move. Riffy guitars and a steady drum beat are as prominent as the lyrics making it feel somewhat anthemic.
‘Spellbound’ is my jam. Sam Roberts is able to put more lyrics into 30 seconds of song than any songwriter I know and this song is chock full of gems. It also is the sort of song you want to close your eyes and just let your own head take you to places that don’t exist. The beat is catchy as hell, and the backup vocals by Dave Nugent and Eric Fares (I’m assuming) are that extra layer. The bridge is this other worldly dreaminess that’s just addictive. And really, who else has ever said, “the hounds of autumn echo across the lake and up your spine, and to the sky‘ ?? The ending is superb too with guitar and drum beat taking us into the fade out.. ‘so long but not goodbye’. This is going to be played heavily on my rotation.
‘Take Me Away’ is a welcome change of pace (despite how much I love the previous ‘Spellbound’). Its a ‘get up and dance like nobody is watching’, tune! Somewhat defiant in nature, ‘take me away I’ve had enough of life today, you said I had it coming… ” Its like listening to a two way conversation with someone about to break out, or break down. ‘I can’t remember who the real me is.. its all too much.. a little more than I can take.” We all have days we can’t do it.. its too much and we have a glass of wine, or wish ourselves into next Tuesday. If only we could all just find ‘an escape hatch’ and someone to catch us!
‘I Like the Way You Talk About the Future‘ has this relentless bass line and feeling of groovy circular droning. It seems very much like a ‘f*** it, lets get the hell out of here to somewhere new’ song . The bridge is very unique with lyrics that are more spoken word poetry than singing but it works. Synth features heavily giving this song a very different vibe, almost EDM in its feel and I can see this being one of the band’s last encore songs much like ‘Mind Flood’ was for some years, allowing the band time to experiment on stage and a different rendition each time.
‘Ghost Town‘ – again the band changes tempo after two songs, to give us time to clear our head (palate?). Ghost town is an introspective look at the singer’s past – his childhood home, the memories of growing up. Examining your roots and where you came from, taking stock of how that shaped your life and future. “The past is often dangerous… I wish someone had told me this place would never let go of me.”
‘All of Us‘ could easily become another ‘We’re All in this Together’ but it isn’t. It’s introspective, but broad and sweeping. Singular but all encompassing. It can relate to a single person, or the world at large ‘this is all of us, this is all of us‘. It gives hope to those needing it most – ‘when the earth sounds hollow under your feet… when your spirit stumbles, come look for me again.” Human connection, support of each other, and love.. always the love. “Where you go, I’ll go… I will follow you to the end of the road, and you’ll never be alone.” If only we all had someone who would tell us this. Maybe we do and just don’t know it.
‘Youth‘ is, according to Roberts on an Instagram live last week, something he wanted to write for his children (“grade 3, grade 5 and grade 7 math”). It’s a song to try and let his children know that youth is fleeting and to make the most of it, “even though I know they won’t understand it until they’re older“. Youth is wasted on the young, the saying goes, but we can still try to let them know how great this point in their lives are. “Try to hold on to these dreams you belong to.” What a fitting way to end the album.
This is one of the most introspective (autobiographical?) albums Sam Roberts has ever written, as my friend said, there’s a maturity to it. Which is perhaps why it took longer to finish than usual – but also perhaps why it’s resonating with me so quickly; the human emotions of yearning, loss, love, friendship, and Hope for the future are less interpretive – more tangible this time around. And at the end of the day, love and Hope are what we all need right now.
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check out Ghost Town below
Wonderful article! love the album and I encourage you to enjoy it as much as we do.