“Singer-songwriter Scott Samuels is a vet of bands such as Kitten’s Pharmacy, Roxy Monoxide, A.M. Forever (akaVinyl Pirates), and a Neil Diamond tribute act, Solitary Diamonds. He just released a new solo five-song EP called Sunshine and Starlight for download and streaming. “Shortly thereafter will come the CDs and vinyl for people like me, who like to have something you can hold in your hands,” says Samuels. “I thank one of my musical compadres, Scott Spindler, for adding some Bowie-esque keyboard touches to one of the tunes. Other than that, these performances, the production, and nearly all the songwriting is completely me, from start to finish. This album, more than any other I’ve done, reflects my ‘70s glam-rock influences, and I’m really excited to share the results.” The cover photo was shot at Clear Lake, Iowa that should be instantly familiar to fans of rock and roll history. “This is the marker that leads you to the spot where the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper crashed, about a half mile along the fence line of this farm field.”
-Jay Allen Sanford, The Local Five, San Diego Reader, April 2021
“When you hear the opening notes of ‘Just Wanna’ from Scott Samuels latest release ‘Fabulous Reality!’, you are drawn into that realm where bands like R.E.M., Wire Train, and The Smithereens skirted the mainstream pop trends in lieu of something built to last. Scott’s music is earnestly grown from this legacy of seeds.
The song ‘In the Moment’ has a cool Paul Westerberg vibe that drives the song into a simultaneously barbed and sweet testimony of the struggle to enjoy the present tense of what sounds like a loosely held together and rocky relationship. The track ‘Something Stupid’ really shows off Scott’s diversity as a musician as he channels a Tex-Mex ballad right down to the imagined swaying hips of a young Senorita. This imagery is possibly derived from the addition of female harmonies by Marie Haddad. It has a groove that immediately conjures imagery of some not so distant South of the boarder Cantina (margaritas anyone?)
When you contrast the differences between the sounds achievable by Scott, you can really hear an artist who has taken the time to embrace their craft. The song ‘Insecurity’ is probably the hardest hitting track on this release, with a dash of Lenny Kravitz and dollop of Elvis Costello; Scotts recipe for a good tune is tastey. I would expect to hear Scott doing an intimate stripped down version of ‘What you Really Need’ on Sirius XM’s ‘Coffee House’ station within the next year and at the very least a few spins on ‘The Spectrum’ station.”
– Michael Elam, Blue Harvest Records
“Perhaps best known for the energetic recordings and live appearances in the San Diego-based power pop outfit Roxy Monoxide, guitarist Scott Samuels has opted for the singer-songwriter modus operandi on his new six-song EP, The Fall. The best attributes of Roxy Monoxide–melodies and lyrics- have followed Samuels on this current stop in his musical sojourn. The title of the EP has a double meaning. Tracks were recorded during the autumn of 2013. “The Fall, ” the opening tune, is also a reference of “falling” head over heels in romantic bliss before reality provides a swift kick in the posterior. There’s a word for the current generation of self-absorbed couples ( is the word “entitlement?”) and the final chorus of the song finds Samuels dishing out the just rewards for such narcissism. In addition to three other original compositions (“Timing is Everything,” “Thinking Too Much,” and “Nothing Left to Prove”), the EP features the wonderful “If I Could Start Today Again” written by Australia’s Paul Kelly and the Roy Wood yuletide classic (at least in the UK) “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.” While the back cover of the EP shows falling leaves, Scott Samuel’s latest collection would sound just as good while sipping a cold one in the heat of August.”
-Steve Thorn, San Diego Troubadour — complete review here: http://sandiegotroubadour.com/2014/07/scott-samuels-the-fall/
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-Scott