wanderlust is a moving new album from Los Angeles-based artist Sam Caldwell, whose sounds span from the ardent folk of “birthday week” to the rousing rock rise within “boy and a bird.” The release’s courage-emphasized themes play as “a heartfelt ode to the bravery and the complexities that come with following one’s dreams,” per the artist, whose songwriting enthralls throughout.
“feeding the wound” is among the album’s many highlights, being a particularly compelling display of the band’s knack for riveting structural evolutions. Serene acoustics and plucky guitars complement a ghostly vocal contemplation to start. “I’m doing alright, until the weekend comes rolling around,” the vocals lament as twanging guitars and rhythms escalate, capturing how heartache can become especially noticeable when “just left with your thoughts, and another face in the crowd.”
The album continues with a variety of standouts. “boy and a bird” evolves into feedback-touched guitar distortion with melodic entrancement, reminding fondly of The Wrens, while “your words” struts a peppy alt-pop crunch with replay-inducing appeal. Finale “beacon street” also compels with its dreamy spacious, trickling sound effect, and layered vocal immersion. wanderlust is a consistently enveloping success from Sam Caldwell.
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“your words” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.