Sam Baker – Land of Doubt
URL: https://www.sambakermusic.com/land-of-doubt
Following a European tour behind his new album, Land Of Doubt, Sam Baker is turning his attention to creative projects in 2017: Opening his first-ever exhibition as a visual artist, staging an original play and filming a documentary. As you may know, Sam has limited hearing after being on a bus that exploded during a 1986 terrorist attack in Peru, but he’s from Texas, now living in Austin. Land Of Doubt deals with much of the pain and suffering in the world, and the love that can heal it. This artist has been through his share of tragedy and hearing loss is some of the result, so he has a lot to write and about and do concerning music and film. You can catch everywhere he’s coming from on the CD, kicking off with “Summer Wind” and its acoustic guitar lines that set up a grand opener. A thing like the summer wind is a worthy subject matter to begin with, so it gets a mark for that much without even having to listen. That can’t be bad and neither is the track for the most part, especially with said guitar. It’s a good way to open but “Some Kind Of Blue” gets down and dirty about the life of a war hero that could be anyone for all I know, but the point is the song itself and the way he tells the story. It’s all that is important about it, and it should be heard to be believed from this perspective. That is the only way to put it fairly and judge for yourself based on the recommendation. There are some other great tracks but this stands out as one of them, with a marching beat at the end to top it off. From the halls to the shores it should be heard. It marks at least one major example of what Sam Baker is doing, and could be doing more of in the future. It’s worth suggesting that he does. “The Silvered Moon” is up next and if you like piano instrumentals you get your wish fulfilled on this, which is one of a few very well written and recorded pieces without words. The next track is “Margaret” which is a fun-loving track with nothing but positive things to say about. She is obviously a lovely person or the song wouldn’t have so much to write home about, but he can be content with this number, as anyone would like to be sung about that way. And that gives birth to a song entitled “Love Is Patient” and it’s a big piece of music with some good lyrics to top it off, but it’s the music that grabs your attention the most. It’s another track that is beyond description in a good way.
“Leave” is another track that follows in the same vein, if not as outstanding. It’s still another heavy one on the heart and the mind. And the next one wins again as an instrumental with “Pastures Fit For Thoroughbreds” that makes room for a major break in the mix by following with yet another instrumental in the way of “Song Of Sunrise Birds” to make it stick. And then the goods keep on coming with “The Feast Of Saint Valentine” and continues on through to the final number that tops them all with the title piece, “Land Of Doubt” taking it out in all its hope and glory. It’s an album worth partaking in the brash and beauty of, warts and all.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Land-of-Doubt/dp/B072R73TDM
Todd Bauer