New York indie rock band Wild Pink recently unveiled what seemed to be one of the most beloved albums of this year so far, “A Billion Little Lights”. It came out in February, and the John Ross-led project is already back with a new song EP titled “3 Songs” out next month. (In the interim they also combined a bunch of covers they’d recorded for various comps into the “6 Cover Songs” EP, none of which was new but all of which was certainly of interest if you love Wild Pink.)
The lead single from 3 Songs is a weightless, immersive track, “Ohio,” with singer-songwriter Samia. Samia, who’s been very busy doing a lot of collaborations lately (including with Christian Lee Hudson, Bartees Strange, and Homeschool ), only adds to the ethereal, romantic atmosphere of Wild Pink’s floating ballads. The nearly four-minute track feels aimless, but with a purpose; it encompasses the sensation of a reverie.
John Ross played guitar, bass, keys and sang Dan Keegan played drums Samia sang on “Ohio” Stephen Chen played saxophone on “Ohio” Ellis Ludwig-Leone wrote string arrangements for “Leferever” Andie Tanning & Gokce Erem played violins on “Leferever” Mike Slo-Mo Brenner played pedal steel on “Leferever”
It’s only been three or so weeks since she unveiled the brilliant “The Baby Reimagined” a remix version of her album “The Baby” but Samia is already back in our ears by way of “Questions.” Featured on the upcoming Sister James EP I Hate It Here, Pt. 1, it’s a quiet-loud ripper that channels “Where Is My Mind?” if mainlined with millennial malaise.
NY-based multi-instrumentalist Quinn McGovern, aka Sister James, has spent much of his coronavirus lockdown working on new music. He’ll be sharing some of it as a new EP, “I Hate It Here Pt. 1,” due out April 16th via KRO Records, the label founded by Lawrence and Yves Rothman, to which Sister James just signed recently.
The EP’s first single is a collaboration with Samia, a striking track called “Questions.” It begins with a droning, shoegazey swell before descending into a sweet but sluggish acoustic melody, as Quinn sings softly, painting a picturesque image of a dream-like, ethereal countryside. Soon, the drums pick back up, signaling Samia to accompany Quinn on the chorus.
The collaboration between the two NY musicians came to fruition after Samia heard and enjoyed the track when Quinn played it in a Portland backyard while she had been touring with his band. “I was totally blown away,” Samia recalls. “Quinn has influenced so much of my song writing over the past 3 years; we’ve written together and demoed most of my songs together. I feel very lucky to get to be a part of this song three years later, after it’s already inspired so much of my work and feels like such an integral part of our music community.”
“Hearing her music since we met on that tour has given me so much of the inspiration that I have depended on while approaching my own music,” Quinn says of Samia. “I couldn’t imagine an easier artist to work with, and the idea that her voice is gracing one of these silly songs is so special to me.”
“The Baby Remimagined”, a reimagining by her friends and contemporaries of Samia’s 2020 debut LP, The Baby Reimagined is a song-for-song reinvention of the debut album from Samia. It features old friends and new connections forged over mutual admiration. While some remix albums struggle to justify their existence, this one is a testament to the song writing at the core of Samia’s work. In any hands, these songs are special. And in the carefully selected hands at work across this release, these songs are transcendent.
“The Baby”, is due out Friday (1/15) via Grand Jury, and the latest single is Christian Lee Hutson’s folky, contemplative take on “Does Not Heal.” Hutson’s reimagined version of “Does Not Heal” marks his first release of 2021,
“Does Not Heal” · Samia Cover by Christian Lee Hutson released on Grand Jury Music Released on: 2021-01-11
New York-based singer/songwriter Samia Finnerty’s debut album, “The Baby”, is about learning how to be yourself, by yourself. Embarking on her first tours––far away from friends and alone in green rooms across the country––she began to untangle just how much of her own identity had been created by those she held close. Each of the twelve songs that make up The Baby find Samia holding up her relationships as a mirror, reflecting her own truths and learning how to show up for herself when there’s no one else around. The result of this introspection is an album that is bold and authentic, philosophizing while surgically examining the mundane.
On whiskey-tinged standout “Big Wheel”, she provides a status report on those closest to her, checking in on a liar in Montana and an old friend in Japan who just bought new shoes. The breathtaking Stellate finds her grappling with power imbalance and a fear of confrontation: “you buy me a big bucket/and I scream into that/and when it overflows you want your money back.” She laments the closing of downtown East Village haven St. Dymphna’s, facetiously boasts getting Fit and Full off apple cider vinegar and kale and threatens to get fully naked in a hot restaurant. She vacillates between humorous and harrowing often within a single line, a skill born from growing up with the internet and all of its simultaneous horrors and pleasures. Each song is centred by Samia’s incredible voice, which effortlessly glides between campfire intimacy and 90’s rock panache.
After a string of hushed ballads and spirited pop/rock tunes, Samia Finnerty (aka Samia) began drawing ears and eyes. The New York-based singer/songwriter’s debut album “The Baby” centers on her low, rather soulful voice, and it finds her at her most self-assured. Operating in a ’90s and 2000s pop/rock lane, Samia thrives on soaring hooks, which carry even more power thanks to her impressive vocal range. Upbeat rock songs like “Fit N Full” and “Big Wheel” possess yearning and the type of humour that everyone’s craving these days, and they bring instantaneous choruses, too. Her downtempo side is just as moving, if not more so—“Pool” and “Stellate” are packed with desire, with the former embracing a more ethereal pop airiness and the latter leaning into stripped-down, contemplative rock.
Samia is a gift that keeps on giving. Just one week on from “Triptych,” the New York songwriter returns to our column today with the track “Minnesota.” Lifted from her recent album The Baby, it’s a melancholic strut about the irrationalities of love, with “Bennie and the Jetts”-esque chords backing Samia as she sings about losing control of her feelings.
My first album is called The Baby and it’s coming out via Grand Jury on 28th August 2020. Made it with my friends Caleb Hinz, Jake Luppen, Nathan Stocker and Lars Stalfors
The 2nd single off the record is called Fit n Full and I wrote it Tom D’agustino Donating my pre-sale proceeds to NAACP Legal Defense Fund, -a legal defense organization fighting for racial justice !!.
Despite being only 22, Samia has a self-awareness beyond her years. The indie singer-songwriter is masterful in her sharp lyrics, which capture common anxieties and frustrations with a poet’s charm. She finds painful moments and leans into their messy, ugly details, transforming them into defiant common touchstones speckled throughout life. One breakup song ends mid-sentence, evoking the discomfort and anticipation of separation, while another is inspired by a high-school memory of boys groping her breasts, using the experience to inspect the politics and power of women’s desirability.
But, the New York singer offers more than poignant confessional lyrics. She also crafts striking compositions, which range from dramatic, wailing folk ballads backed by simple piano or acoustic guitar accompaniments to gritty and grungy rock anthems. Always at the forefront is her crystalline voice, carrying each number with its deft transitions between ranges and its emotional power.
Using this idea of two distinct selves as framework, the indie rocker teamed with director Nick D’agostino to craft a music video that illustrates the disparity. My first album is called “The Baby” and it’s coming out via Grand Jury on 28th August. made it with my friends caleb hinz, jake luppen, nathan stocker and lars stalfors kramer
2nd single off the record is called Fit n Full and i wrote it with Tom D’Agustino and it’s out now!!
Official music video for Samia’s “Is The Something in the Movies?,” from her debut album The Baby, coming August 28th.
The Fat Angel Sings 