Back in May, we featured the album “Coverama,” a collection of popular music covers from all genres performed by a diverse cross-section of artists from the Toronto music scene – and I must say, that if there ever was an album truly deserving of a 180-gram vinyl pressing for us collectors, “Coverama” ranks up there. We ultimately chose to focus our attention on four tunes from this terrific album, and it was very easy for emerging artist Sam Casey to make the cut with her unbelievable interpretation of the Etta James classic, “I’d Rather Go Blind.”
No surprises here – having displayed her powerful voice and penchant for soul music, Sam’s latest single, “New Company” does not disappoint, and demonstrates once again an artist incredibly confident in articulating her personal life experiences – from toxic relationships to struggles with mental illness, and the relatable feeling of life slipping in and out of control – through her songwriting. Sam’s professional music offerings to date may be fairly limited, but based on the strength of these singles alone, her upcoming EP has very quickly fast-tracked its way onto our listening radar.
Skimming through Sam’s social media pages, the origins of this single can be traced back almost four years – inspired by the I’m better off narrative resonant in late 90s and early 2000s music. At the time, Sam was involved with someone who she would later learn could never offer her what she wanted or needed in a relationship. “As a young female artist, I believe that many people expect certain social norms or points of view from me that I consistently disagree with or can’t provide,” Sam shares, acknowledging that this song came from “the realization that a shitty fling I had been putting time, energy and real emotion into for months was never going to become a relationship. I wrote this song in my dorm room during my first year at university.”
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
