Following the success of his recent single, “Driveway Moment,” Toronto, ON singer-songwriter Sameer Cash (formerly Sam Cash) returns once more with “Keep Kicking,” his latest single released just last week. Having spent many years on the Toronto live music circuit performing as ‘Sam Cash & The Romantic Dogs,’ the artist I once labelled a folk-rocker with attitude has seemingly ditched the rock-star persona, and reinvented his musical leanings towards some deeply heartfelt and poetic piano-centered balladry.
Produced by fellow Romantic Dogs friend and guitarist, Matthew Bailey, and engineered by Chris Stringer (Megan Bonnell, Timbre Timbre) at Union Sound Company, Cash is happy to be reunited with the team that brought us “Driveway Moment;” adding bassist Graeme Moffatt, and inviting Romantic Dogs drummer Kyle Sullivan back once more. “Keep Kicking is about growth through discomfort, moving forward while honouring our past selves,” offers Cash. “This moment in time has left many of us feeling stuck in a situation that we simply can’t grow out of, for fear that it’s going to be hard and painful.”
I’ve always considered Sameer Cash a versatile and passionate lyricist, and with “Keep Kicking,” he once again articulates his feelings and memories through the strength of his songwriting abilities: “Your words no longer hurt me / I can’t feel a thing / And your body’s been moving / Like its waiting for spring / And I know you’re tired / And things aren’t working right / But this place ain’t your home / It’s just a stop for the night.” For Cash, the pace and tempo never falter, although the additional instrumentation perfectly complements the rousing nature of the final verse: “I thought that I told you / This whole place is wicked / And we all huddle close / When the fog starts to thicken / I’ve been talking to ghosts / But I don’t think they’re listening / When your back’s against the ropes / You’ve just got to keep kicking.”
Raised in Scarborough, ON on a diet of his fathers’ rock & roll records and mothers’ Hindu fairy tales, Sameer is proud to finally share this personal composition; one that is not as “new” as you may imagine. “I’ve had this song in my back pocket for nearly a decade. It’s been a little secret I’ve kept, a mantra to repeat to myself,” he shares. “Perhaps this is the universe telling us to Keep Kicking through the dark moments in our lives. To keep striving for something greater than ourselves. Maybe it will help you, as it helped me.”
Visit Sameer Cash’s Bandcamp page.
Photo Credit: Aurora Shields
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.
