where we get Serious Sam and actually “review” Zuni…

Okay, people.  Gather round. We have an announcement.  Ready?

MixTape Monday will not be posted today, in lieu of Amber and I trying our hand at some seriousness. Like Serious Sam-ness. And if you think about it, Sam’s new album Zuni, is technically new music, so we aren’t too far off the bag, no?

Either way, your regularly scheduled programming will be back next week, but for today, join us as we offer our very much amatuer “review” of Zuni.

It's Zuni time!

LiLi’s thoughts:

I am not going to lie. I was very nervous about listening to Zuni. Mainly because I was worried how much it was going to differ from the Sam that I was “used to”.  Which is totally unfair, I know.

As fans of any artist/group, we want them to grow and mature but at the same time, we revolt when it’s too different.  Not that I am talking about revolting in a Dylan-goes-electric-way, but there is always the fear of how a singer/songwriter/acoustic artist will translate with a back up band and studio enhancements.

Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. At all.

For me, the first listen of a new album is the decider. The first note, chord, sound, whathaveyou. If it doesn’t get me from the very first moment then it’s over. That doesn’t meant that I can’t learn to like it- to appreciate it and enjoy a few tracks, but there are very few albums that I can listen all the way through.

Zuni is now on that list. From the very first listen, I knew that this was going to be one of those albums. I mean, how can you NOT love an album that starts off– very first word– with “fuck”? Brill.

And yet, it’s not my fave song on the album.  Currently, that title goes to “No One and Me”.  I am sure that that will change, especially after the 127th a few listens, but right now it reminds me of summer. With the weather getting colder here in Texas, listening to that song makes me think of driving to my parents house by the lake, with the windows rolled down while singing as loud as I can.

As for my least favorite song– well– (SPOILER ALERT) I will have to agree with Amber on this one– it’s “Passport”. I mean, we do share a brain after all, but my reasons are slightly different.  I really do love the song. A lot. But after stumbling across a certain work of fiction ::coughFanFictioncough:: that is based on this song, I can’t really listen to it without images from that story ::ahem:: popping up. It’s forever changed for me.  And please, no comments on the fanfic reference. Believe me, we learned our lesson last time.

Overall, I think this album works because Sam still did his “thing” but enhanced it. Like he went from 2D to 3D. The additional back up band, the vocals,  the studio mods, all helped in making him sound richer and more rounded out– as opposed to overpowering him, as some studios tend to do with singer/songwriters. The album also had a more cohesive feel to it– the songs flowed from one another, which was a change from the EP that Sam released last year. Don’t get me wrong, while I enjoyed have a physical copy of those 5 songs, they felt more of a “see what I can do/here’s my range” sampling that jumped from style to style instead of the “complete” feeling that Zuni has.

Amber’s thoughts:

Rewind back to last Tuesday. I did some reaction boos to the new album Zuni. A few people listened to them, as I found out at the show last Friday. (Holla Sam!) But let’s face it, that was just my reaction to it all. My initial thoughts.

After listening to the CD all day Tuesday, all day Wednesday, most of the day Thursday, then on the drive all the way to Dallas Friday and all the way back home on Saturday, I think I have a much better review of it all.

First things first, just comparing this EP to the first one, it is a huge improvement. Not saying the first one is bad at all, cause it’s not. But this one just flows so much better for me. The song choice is killer, the order flows, overall… just win! I was actually overwhelmed by the awesomeness. Which is a good thing. I am rarely overwhelmed.

As far as my fave song on the album, this is difficult. Can I pick two? I’m gonna go with Lights. Probably because 1) I fell in love with this song over a year ago thanks to a certain Youtube video; and 2) the recorded song actually sounds just as good as the live version, which NEVER happens! And to all those who think I’m kidding about waking up to that song every morning… yeah, so far, I’m on a roll!

Second fave song is tough, but I’m gonna go with Wide Open. Those who listened to my boos may be shocked cause I said that at first, I wasn’t down with the new version. I like it acoustic and just a voice and a guitar. And I still do. Quite a bit in fact. But after listening over and over and over and over, and then one more time, I decided that the new arrangement totally works and the song is kind of, well, let’s just say it does it for me.

Overall, least fave is still Passport. Probs cause that’s just not my fave song in general. I said it and I mean it. I like it live cause it’s fun and all. But I dunno. Maybe I am alone in this. And that’s cool.

Man, I felt like I just got a bit serious Sam about this album. But it deserves it. It is legit GOOD! Buy it on iTunes. Now.

Contest Alert!!

If you are one of those peeps that don’t get to see Sam this tour to get your hands on a physical copy, well, good news. I am awesome. And I bought an extra copy. AND I had Sam sign it. AND I’m gonna go on ahead and give it away.

You want to win it? Comment on this post here and put 1) Your fave song from the new album and why; and 2) be sure to say “I want to win Zuni!” cause sometimes we have people comment who don’t want to win, which is cool. I want to make sure only the peeps that want it are entered.

Contest is world wide and you MUST comment by 11:59 a.m. Wednesday, November 17 to enter. That’s central time folks. Cause that’s where all the cool kids live.