Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
You have choices in life, you can take the road of responsibility and look after your heart and soul or you can give in temptation and rock the guts out of life, you can stand in the corner, a hint of vague wallflower about your persona, or should the feeling be right, be just, you can party on in the knowledge that the Universe has created such great music for you to be entranced by. If you stay in the shadows you won’t get Chills & Fever but if you come in to the light and embrace the work of Samantha Fish then that fever, those chills, will be glorious.
Samantha Fish’s new album is a huge divergent from her previous outing, the dramatic 2015 album Wild Heart, whereas before the Blues didn’t just come knocking, they blew off the hinges, kicked off the lock and stood with a sense of authority in the shaft of light comes from beyond the shadow, now instead the authority is supplanted by agile and discerning mandate, this is the clout of music that goes further than authorative control, this is the heart openly inviting the guest in, holding the door open and hugging them till they surrender their own will with satisfying beauty.
The out and out Blues may have taken a vacation, a small step away from Ms. Fish’s limelight, however in its place is the sound of her youth, the first love perhaps that we all remember and in our dreams still exist with a strong pulse and beguiling smile.
Aided by Joe Mazzola, Steve Nawara, Kenny Tudrick, Bob Mervak, Marc Levron and Travis Blotsky, Samantha Fish takes the music of many different genres, even delving superbly into the area of a garage band delivering punches and musical pummelling’s which take the ears by surprise and nibble at them with a sizeable kiss of personality and love.
In tracks such as Hello Stranger, Either Way I Lose, Crow Jane, I’ll Come Running Over and the magnificent It’s Your Voodoo Working, Samantha Fish brings a sense of harmony, of trust and important femininity, the guile and wit of one who is incredible ease to produce an album of thunderous and playful cool.
Samantha Fish certainly has taken on the next step of music ownership, it is the fine fitting dress, the agile groove and the seamless bridge that connects all her worlds; one that all the Chills & Fever become relentless and heart thumping for.
Samantha Fish’s Chills & Fever is released by Ruf Records on March 29th.
Ian D. Hall