Sam Lee - Songdreaming
Sam Lee - Songdreaming
Two Sams in a row!
Is that interesting? Not really. Is it a fun coincidence? Kinda.
I think the Beyoncé release has had a real cooling effect on album releases. Not many really strong records in the past week. Nobody wants to go up against the queen.
But I’m not complaining. It’s given me a chance to really dig into March’s releases and find the gems.
Sam Lee’s Songdreaming is one hell of a gem. It’s been floating near the top of my “maybe pile” for a few weeks now, and on a second listen I’m not sure why I didn’t post it immediately.
Lee specializes in a certain strain of folk music that borrows heavily from the classic English or Celtic folk song. He’s embodying the tradition of the minstrel, of the skald, and of the bard. But this isn’t just a collection of medieval ballads. No. This is an imagined extension of that tradition into the current day.
This music has a deep literacy in its language, and a connection to nature in its themes. It sounds as if it’s outside of time. These are songs as they were first imagined, stories and ideas set to music. But the music is some of the most intricately produced and beautiful folk that I’ve ever heard.
Streaming below via Bandcamp.
Highlights: Bushes And Briars • Meeting Is A Pleasant Place • Aye Walking Oh
If you liked this record - maybe you’ll like:
