Samuel Claiborne
Love, Lust, and Genocide
(True Groove)
Samuel Claiborne hails from Rosendale, New York, but he takes his influences from a wide world of sources. His new album,  Love, Lust, and Genocide, presents a tapestry of interesting lyrics and sounds, presented with record label True Groove’s top-notch players. One of the best tunes of the nine here, “Say Goodbye To America,†opens. With kickin’ Mac Gollehon horns, a popping bass and a drum mix from Mike Faulkner, Claiborne’s wry lyrics get a solid airing. “The Lion and the Lamb,†a wholly different sounding tune, features Alan Grubner’s violin, again with a low Claiborne vocal, soft, sweet and perfect on this swinging, cool tune. Things end pretty desperately though, turning all that went before it on its head as the violin swirls. There is a metallic, scary version of “Hurt†here (it’s ok, but really, how many people from Johnny Cash to Kermit the Frog are going to cover this NIN tune?) Tight percussion from what I assume is Claiborne’s loops and light touches from guitar float under the narrative of what combat is like today in “21st Century War.†Yes, the lyrics might be a little heavy-handed, but I love all the loops slicing in with backing vocals on this Frank Zappa send-up. The big drum beat of last tune, “The Heart Is a Bomb,†with Claiborne’s atmospheric touches (as well as loud leading) makes a bed under another statement vocal. Surely this is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, Claiborne is approaching his stuff like a siege, but these songs are well reasoned, the players super, and Samuel Claiborne has lots to say.
Thanks for the nice review. Some clarification: Kevin Jenkins only plays bass on The Lion and the Lamb. The rest of the bass is handled by Tomás Doncker and Josh David. The atmospheric touches on The heart is a Bomb are my viola playing, and the lead is my guitar playing. Most of what one would call ‘atmospheric’ or ‘synthy’ on this album consists of my singing and guitar viola sent through various effects, except for the stunning lap steel work on Broken, by Artur Uronen, and the ‘acid cello’ on hurt, played by Jane Scarpantoni. No synths were harmed (or touched) during the making of this album.
Oh, and how could I forget: the bass on The Heart is a Bomb is played by none other than Bill Laswell!
Release me.†and it is nothing short of a beautiful work of intimate art. If you are one of the many that enjoy a dramatic verse given to you without singing, then I am sure you will enjoy what Samuel offers here.