Sam Weber - Clear + Plain LP
The fresh and remarkable new album from low-key phenom Sam Weber brims with natural beauty. Featuring "Hey Hey", "Kind Dog", "Oregon" and "Void".
"99% of Clear and Plain was recorded over three days in 2021. The band was Griffin Goldsmith, Mal Hauser and Garret Lang. I engineered it and Mal and I produced it, but we really just set up some mics and headphones and played the songs together a few times 'til we had takes. I hadn’t been playing at all, really, and some of the songs were unfinished. It really felt intimidating to go into the studio because I didn’t really feel like I had the facility to perform on my instrument or sing well or anything like that. I had been listening to a lot of music, though, so in the end I think what made this record beautiful is how reserved it is. All four of us are listening so intently and playing so sparsely. Once in a while a flourish will come through, but these moments or ‘fills’ would occur in such subtle ways. I feel like we really stretched the definition of what a ‘fill’ even is. Sometimes it feels like the moment that catches the listener's attention is literally the creak of the upright bass or a breath or something really subdued and candid, but it really felt like we got to a place of shared consciousness amongst the band where everyone was listening so intently — acknowledging those moments — everyone was so collectively aware of every moment.… It’s by far my favourite record I’ve ever made and I think the songs are so simple and so beautiful. I’m really proud of this music and I can’t wait to share it with people." – Sam Weber