“Wild Heart” – Samantha Fish’s Newest CD

A Review & Photo Essay by Scott Vincent

(ScottVincentPhoto.Wordpress.com)

Samantha Fish’s latest 12 song CD “Wild Heart” was released this past Friday on July 10 by Ruf Records.  Prior to the CD’s release, I went to see Samantha perform live a couple of times over the past month to photograph her.  As a result, I was able to buy a signed pre-release copy that Samantha was selling at her shows so I’ve had plenty of time to listen to all of the tracks – Over and over again.  Yes, this CD is so good that I have it playing on repeat every time I get in the car.

Samantha Fish at Fairfield Theatre Company (FairfieldTheatre.org) playing with her signature Delaney Guitar.                   Photo by Scott Vincent

If you like The Blues and if you like stellar, hard hitting guitar playing and kick-ass female vocals, then you really have no choice but to get this CD.  At times when listening to Wild Heart, Samantha’s powerful and soulful voice sounds like a bad-ass version of Sheryl Crow.  A duet between the two could be pretty amazing.

I have no doubt that Wild Heart will be Samantha’s breakout CD with several very memorable songs and even an infectious ballad making up the mix of mostly original material, much of which she also performs live on her current tour.

Road Runner, the opening track, gets your immediate attention that this CD is something special.  The song is no doubt about young love lost, and the heart-felt lyrics and powerful vocals make you remember how difficult that can be.

If you’re superstitious or perhaps you really think you have evidence of the full moon changing a person’s behavior then the fun and tongue-in-check song Blame It On The Moon is for you.  This song, with the song’s title as the chorus, explores the choices people make and perhaps how the moon just might have influenced them.

As hard punching as most of the CD’s tracks are, it’s Go Home that is uncharacteristically ballad-like.  Yet at two of her recent live performances I attended, it was this song that people seemed to talk about and relate to the most.  You really must hear Go Home – and then you’ll want to hear it again and again.

The last song I’ll mention from this wonderful CD is Turn It Up.  I predict that this song will be requested at every Samantha Fish performance forever more.  This song WILL become Samantha’s anthem, and a great sounding one at that which she performs with her cigar box guitar (it’s literally a cigar box with strings).  You can help start the Turn It Up movement by listening to a live version captured by BluesBroad at The Fairfield Theatre Company’s StageOne (see video link further below, used with permission).

Samantha Fish playing “Turn It Up” with her cigar box guitar at Michael Arnone’s annual Crawfish Festival (www.CrawFishFest.com).    Photo by Scott Vincent

If you have any doubt that I really like this CD and that I highly recommend it, then please re-read this review 😉  But seriously, do yourself a favor – just buy the CD.  And if you want to be even more impressed, then go see Samantha live.  Seeing this young woman’s amazing guitar playing and singing talent in person is simply inspiring.  You’ll be witnessing a legend in the making.  You can thank me later…

“Turn It Up” Live at the Fairfield Theatre Company captured by BluesBroad

Samantha Fish playing with her signature Delaney Guitar at Michael Arnone’s annual Crawfish Festival (www.CrawFishFest.com).      Photo by Scott Vincent