Sam Semple I'm Looking For A Band CD

"One of the most exciting discoveries of the year is SAM SEMPLE, whose songwriting is staggeringly good.""The Kashmir Klub welcomes so many great and individualistic performers that it may seem we're just spraying words like 'unique' and 'brilliant' around willy-nilly. But how else to describe Sam Semple, who is indubitably both of these things? His fantastically evocative lyrics are like a Sam Shepard play set to music and compressed into 5 minutes, while his song structures and flair for subverting clichés mark him out as special. He is a true one-off." - The Kashmir Klub DiariesReview of 'I'm Looking for a Band.' "On first hearing the distinct opening chords of 'Crystal House', you know that this is something special. Its bright introduction featuring a colourful interplay between trumpets and bass instantly attracts the ear and heralds the arrival of a gifted artist. Semple's work is fresh and original, succeeding in combining intelligent and thoughtful lyrics with infectious melodies that fuel the listener's imagination. As an independent release, this EP is head and shoulders above rather bland offerings from established singer-songwriters of late and surely begs the question: why is Sam Semple not signed to a major record label?Sharing production duties with Tom Baxter, Semple's music works on a number of different levels. His strengths lie in establishing an original and intelligent approach to making music without alienating the listener. The anthemic title track 'I'm Looking for A Band' is a perfect example. An instant crowd pleaser, its laid back acoustic vibe, coupled with a rousing chorus, and a smouldering harmonica solo make this catchy song an instant radio-hit. Indeed, so energetic are Semple's choruses that it's easy to find yourself singing along and scrambling around for a tambourine so you can join in. At the same time, this track highlights his honesty and wit as a lyricist and also displays a wry sense of humour -a rare quality these days.Each song is blessed with its own sense of identity and individuality, and underlines Semple's talent in creating music that is varied and imaginative. The lively denouement of 'In Flames' is contrasted beautifully by the quiet and delicate opening bars of 'In the Woods'. A personal favourite, the concluding track 'College Girl' is yet another fine example of how a good song should be written, with both piano and harmonica lending a sympathetic ear to Semple's lovelorn protagonist. A classic. I'm Looking for a Band offers us a brief snapshot of Sam Semple's world and pinpoints his talents as a songwriter and a musician. A veritable masterclass in songwriting, perhaps some of our homegrown talents should have a listen to this to see where they are going wrong. With a studio album on the way we should be thankful in the meantime to have access to such high quality material which, personally speaking, has restored my faith in the singer-songwriter genre."Reviews and Biographical info taken from website - http://www.samsemple.com: SAM SEMPLE is regarded by many to be one of the most genuinely talented songwriters to have emerged from the 'acoustic' scene for years. His songs are superb, and the wonderful poetry of his lyrics have prompted comparisons to Leonard Cohen. He was born just outside of Glasgow on the 1st November 1969. He then moved to the Black Country in the West Midlands of England when his dad, the brilliant singer Shel Macrae, joined Birmingham harmony pop band The Fortunes as co-lead vocalist. Classic songs penned for The Fortunes by writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway were to make a lasting impression on Sam, hits such as 'You've Got Your Troubles I've Got Mine', 'Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again', 'Freedom Come Freedom Go'. However, Sam didn't start writing songs himself till he was 26 years old. 'I've always been a writer but it took me a while to discover songwriting,' he says. Literature, perhaps more so than music, is the source of much of