Sam Lambeth’s debut solo album, Love & Exile, is out tomorrow ready to be packed-up for (Covid safe) adventures and road trips this summer. A brilliant example of a ‘true soundtrack to life’, the album explores love and loss, packed with relatable tales and witty lines such as “but now we only deal in yesterday’s” and “when life and death carry the same fret, and love and hate are sharing the same bed”.
Sam’s vocals are an awesome blend of smooth and easy going with edgier and grittier undertones, creating a cool effortless and distinct tone. This tone helps to convey the often melancholy or reflective lyrics, wound around more uplifting melodies and instrumentation; mirroring the way that we often look at the past through rose tinted shades.
Opening tracks Dog Days Are-A Comin’ Again and How’d You Find Me set the scene of classic feel-good Americana and country infused anthems. Both incredibly catchy and easy to find yourself foot-tapping along to. Dog Days Are-A Comin’ Again features clever lyrics and a fantastic arrangement. How’d You Find Me is a short track at 1 minute 53 seconds that packs a punch, you’ll find yourself singing along in no time!
We then see a shift in energy towards more melancholic tracks When Love Ain’t Enough and The King (You and Me), that at first seem to follow the blue-prints of movie montage music. However, both songs have a darker twist with brilliant unexpected chord changes. When I’m With You is simply put a beautiful love song with gorgeous vocals, melodies and sweeping guitar lines.
Sam shows a more vulnerable side to his music and vocal style in track The Things You Lose On The Breeze, with a raw home-recorded feel. This track is in stark contrast to the lush production style of the rest of the album, highlighting the heavier emotional content. Finally The Scenic Route Provides an anthemic song on loss, change and returning home. The perfect track for looking out the window on the return journey, reminiscing and watching the scenery change before your eyes.
This short seven track album is a very strong start to Sam’s solo career and shows great skill not only in vocal style and instrumentation, but also in brining an album together. The production is beautifully handled and sounds very considered and thought out, perfectly demonstrating Sam’s strengths. The balance is brilliant, allowing you to really dive into the wonderful lyricism and fully relate to each track!