CD review: Samantha Crain “Kid Face”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Folk/rock
Samantha Crain “Kid Face” (Ramseur Records)
Her distinctive croon and literate lyrics are as potent as ever, but Oklahoma singer-songwriter Samantha Crain layers a palpable vulnerability on “Kid Face,” her most autobiographical album to date.
With her third LP, Crain, 26, courageously channels her personal heartbreaks and breakthroughs into her usual poetic folk/rock, giving the 11 songs added emotional veracity. The Dale High School graduate’s music has always been imbued with earthy authenticity, but she uses personal experience to hone her pen to an even finer point with “Kid Face.”
Crain wrote all 11 tracks and recorded them at producer John Vanderslice’s all-analog Tiny Telephone studios in San Francisco, which only boosts the rootsy warmth already inherent in her sound. The troubadour emanates self-confidence and determination with the first single, the jangly folk kiss-off “Never Going Back.”
On the shuffling confessional “Taught to Lie,” the Shawnee native shows off her penchant for erudite and evocative lyrics like “If you take Anderson Road, you’ll find a box that I have stowed / Behind an old Conoco sign that’s shiny silver in the night / And in the box there is a stone and a little red rattail comb / And seven motel keys, and a souvenir penny / Because I don’t forget the past.”
Her haunting vocals intertwine beautifully with Norman violinist Daniel Foulks’ gypsy fiddle on “Paint,” and she and her musical cohorts, including fellow Oklahomans Brine Webb, John Calvin and Kyle Reid, bring a delicate prettiness to the ponderous melancholy of “We’ve Been Found.” The tuneful cacophony they build up to with “Sand Paintings” brings to mind late-era Beatles.
With her baby face, old soul and weathered alto, the title track with its themes of growing up and coping with disillusionment would probably resonate even without the intricate vocal performance she gives.
Crain also ruminates on the state of the world with the folky tracks “Ax” and “Somewhere All the Time,” but the best part of “Kid Face” is when she lets listeners get a good look inside her head.
— BAM
Oklahoma’s third Buffalo Lounge to take over South by Southwest
Parker Millsap (Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman Archives)
Oklahoma’s Buffalo Lounge is excited to announce its plans for the third annual Oklahoma presence at the 2013 South By Southwest Conference and Festival (SXSW) taking place in Austin, Texas. The Buffalo Lounge will host three days of film, interactive, and music events March 11-13.
This statewide initiative provides exposure for participating Oklahoma companies and talent, while promoting the state as a frontrunner in the film, music and interactive industries. In addition to several events at an Austin venue, participating Oklahoma organizations will have a booth in the March 10-13 SXSW trade show, according to a news release.
While Oklahoma’s Buffalo Lounge is spearheaded by the Idea Collective, and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, this marketing endeavor is made possible because of a large statewide roster of sponsors including: Oklahoma Business Roundtable, Oklahoma Film & Music Office, i2E, OKPOP Museum, the Woody Guthrie Center, ACM@UCO, Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau, Creative Oklahoma, the University of Oklahoma’s Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth, Phillips Murrah P.C., QuiBids, Stillwater Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Wormy Dog Saloon, Preferred Fan Ticketing, 598 Records, Dunlap Codding P.C., Oklahoma City University, SpokesMe, Narrable, BuzzAm Radio, deadCENTER Film Festival, Toy Gun Films, iThemes, Made by Wheat, Robyn Promotions, AT&T, Mustang Brewing Company, Fowler Volkswagen of Norman, Blackwatch Studios, Floyd’s RV, Pin League, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, and The Society.
More than 60,000 top business professionals attended SXSW in 2012. The 10-day conference and festival brings people together to enhance knowledge in their field. The SXSW Tradeshow takes place Sunday, March 10-Wednesday, March 13. Oklahoma will once again have a booth promoting participating sponsors to the worldwide audience. This year’s Buffalo Lounge takes place at a new venue, having outgrown its previous space. The events will be held at a two-story venue, The 512, located at 408 E. 6th Street, in the heart of downtown Austin.
The Oklahoma film party, The Red Dirt Reel, will take place on Monday, March 11 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will highlight the Oklahoma film industry and its participating sponsors. Before the film event begins, the Buffalo Lounge will host a 411 Publishing and Entertainment Partners (EP) Webinar focused on production incentives. The webinar will feature a panel of established film professionals and the topic of discussion will be film incentives offered in Texas, Oklahoma, and surrounding areas. Similar webinars are hosted annually by EP and 411 Publishing during both the Sundance Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival.
Immediately following the film event on March 11 will be Oklahoma’s interactive event from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. This event will provide network opportunities for those involved in the interactive industry, and will be an opportunity for attendees to learn more about participating Oklahoma sponsors, entrepreneurs, and startups. New this year will be the Buffalo Lounge Elevator Pitch Competition, which will allow nine Oklahoma finalists the opportunity to compete for up to $10,000 in prizes. A panel of Oklahoma angel investors will rank the 90-second pitches based on quality of pitch, business viability, market opportunity, competitive advantage, management and energy of the pitch. The evening will also feature Oklahoma 90s tribute band, My So Called Band.
As previously reported, the music portion of SXSW officially begins on Tuesday, March 12. The Buffalo Lounge’s first official SXSW day party is the Oklahoma Soundcheck, presented by Wormy Dog Saloon, Preferred Fan Ticketing, 598 Records, and Phillips Murrah P.C. This SXSW day party will feature bands on two different stages including Colin Nance, Mont Lyons, Skating Polly, Depth and Current, Reality, Admirals, Modern Rock Diaries, Taddy Porter, Paul Benjaman Band, Idabel, Hudson Roar, Mark Gibson, Beau Jennings and The Tigers, DEERPEOPLE, Daniel Walcher, and Jabee.
The second official SXSW day party, the Oklahoma Remix, will take place on Wednesday, March 13. Performing on the OKPOP/Woody Guthrie Center stage will be Susan Herndon, Desi and Cody, Josh Sallee, The Del Toros, The Dustin Pittsley Band, Guardant, The Bourgeois, and We The Ghost. The second stage is presented by ACM@UCO and will feature Bowlsey, Brave, Blake Fischer, The Kamals, The Lower 40, and Ripple Green.
Oklahoma’s music presence will once again be highlighted with two official SXSW showcases during the festival. The ACM@UCO showcase will be Tuesday, March 12 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. and will feature Paperscissor, Day One, Tallows, Horse Thief, Colourmusic, and Stardeath & White Dwarfs. On Wednesday, March 13 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. the Oklahoma Showcase will feature Zach Winters, Parker Millsap, OK SWEETHEART, Defining Times, Samantha Crain, and BRONCHO.
The mission of The Buffalo Lounge is to promote Oklahoma’s film, music, and interactive industries to a statewide and national audience. This mission includes providing filmmakers, musicians, and interactive companies opportunities to network and gain exposure in a fun, relaxed atmosphere that spotlights Oklahoma’s progress in these industries. Soon after SXSW 2013, the Buffalo Lounge will announce events to be held in Oklahoma.
Like Oklahoma’s Buffalo Lounge on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sxswBuffalo
Follow the events on Twitter http://twitter.com/sxswbuffalo
For a complete list of sponsors and link to their Websites, please visit: http://thebuffalolounge.com/
For more information on how to become a volunteer in Austin, or to RSVP, please visit: http://thebuffalolounge.com/
For a complete list of Oklahoma companies participating in the Elevator Pitch Competition, please visit: http://www.i2e.org/news/finalists-to-pitch-ideas-at-sxsw/
For more information on South By Southwest, please visit: http://sxsw.com
-BAM
Broncho, Colourmusic, Samantha Crain and more to play Oklahoma’s Buffalo Lounge showcase at South by Southwest
Broncho
The 2013 South by Southwest Conference and Festival will be March 8-17 in Austin, Texas, and Broncho, Samantha Crain, Stardeath & White Dwarfs, Colourmusic and Parker Millsap are among the diverse musicians who will represent Oklahoma at its official showcase, The Buffalo Lounge.
The Buffalo Lounge began in 2011 when the Oklahoma Film & Music Office, the Idea Collective and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber led a collaborative effort to increase Oklahoma’s presence at the SXSW festival. More than 30 Oklahoma companies, agencies and organizations have participated in numerous events organized by The Buffalo Lounge at a local Austin venue.
This year, The Buffalo Lounge is set for Monday, March 11-Wednesday, March 13 at The 512, 408 E in Austin. The Buffalo Lounge will host four events at The 512, as well as a booth at the SXSW Exhibit Hall, according to a news release.
Unveiled today on Facebook, here are the lineups for the SXSW Official Showcases planned for March 12 and 13:
TUESDAY NIGHT ACM@UCO SXSW SHOWCASE
Broncho
Samantha Crain
Defining Times
OK Sweetheart
Parker Millsap
Zach Winters
WEDNESDAY NIGHT OKLAHOMA SXSW SHOWCASE
Stardeath & White Dwarfs
Day One
Colourmusic
Paperscissor
Tallows
Horse Thief
In addition, The Buffalo Lounge will host an Official SXSW Kickoff Event March 2 at the Wormy Dog Saloon, 311 E Sheridan.
The kickoff event will begin at 6 p.m. March 2 with a panel/mixer Ryan LaCroix (Oklahoma Rock Show), Derek Brown (ACM@UCO, The Flaming Lips), Scott Marsh (Moustache Management and Levelland Productions), Brian Hearn (OKCMOA Film Curator), David Kittredge (The Idea Collective), Abby Kurin (The Buffalo Lounge), Tomy McDonald (Entertainment and Media Attorney) and others.
The kickoff event also will feature live music Mark Gibson, Tallows, Horse Thief and Taddy Porter beginning at 8 p.m. at the Wormy Dog. The concert will double as a CD release show for Taddy Porter as the Stillwater-based rock band releases its sophomore album, “Stay Golden.”
For more information, go to http://thebuffalolounge.com or www.facebook.com/sxswBuffalo.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: The making of Samantha Crain’s “Never Going Back”
Shawnee singer-songwriter Samantha Crain released Tuesday her third full-length album, “Kid Face,” on Ramseur Records.
“Kid Face” is the follow-up to 2010′s “You (Understood),” which received praise from Rolling Stone, SPIN, New York Times and NPR and made my top 10 list for that year.
“Yeah, this is actually the first like fully autobiographical album that I’ve written,” she told The Oklahoman Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett in a recent interview in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District.
“I think before, even if I was dabbling in sort of autobiographical stuff, I always felt the need to kind of color things up with a little bit of fiction here or there, mainly just for my own anxieties about being too personal, probably. But I think, like, the older I’ve gotten, the more comfortable I’ve become with myself and with my own story, that it’s been easier to write more autobiographical stuff.”
A good example of her autobiographical storytelling is the album’s lead-off single “Never Going Back.” The Shawnee resident joined forces with fellow Oklahomans of the innovative filmmaking team LAMAR+NIK for the stupendous music video, which was released about a month ago.
LAMAR+NIK are much-buzzed-about for their DIY and imaginative videos (Lushlife’s “Magnolia,” “Reds” for the band Houses), and “Never Going Back” is no exception. Crain was first filmed against a white backdrop, performing the song start to finish. L+N then edited the video, had each and every one of the 3800-plus frames printed out, and then painstakingly hand-cut every photo. The photos were then precisely placed in a series of rows, and filmed in one single, continuous take, according to a news release.
In honor of Samantha’s new album, check out this making-of look at her “Never Going Back” music video, as well as the final product:
-BAM
New releases for Feb. 19, 2013: Oklahoma singer-songwriter Samantha Crain debuts new album “Kid Face”
Shawnee singer-songwriter Samantha Crain poses for a photo in Oklahoma City on Friday, Jan. 18, 2013. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
Shawnee singer-songwriter Samantha Crain released today her third full-length album, “Kid Face,” on Ramseur Records.
“Kid Face” is the follow-up to 2010′s “You (Understood),” which received praise from Rolling Stone, SPIN, New York Times and NPR and made my top 10 list for that year.
“Yeah, this is actually the first like fully autobiographical album that I’ve written,” she told The Oklahoman Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett in a recent interview in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District.
“I think before, even if I was dabbling in sort of autobiographical stuff, I always felt the need to kind of color things up with a little bit of fiction here or there, mainly just for my own anxieties about being too personal, probably. But I think, like, the older I’ve gotten, the more comfortable I’ve become with myself and with my own story, that it’s been easier to write more autobiographical stuff.”
She also told Gene how “Kid Face” was produced by John Vanderslice and recorded in about eight days strictly on analog tape – no computers involved whatsoever – a decision that resulted in a warm and organic sound that highlights Crain’s songwriting, vocals and lyrics. They recorded the album at his Tiny Telephone studios in San Francisco, a facility favored by top alternative acts these days.
“From the outside it doesn’t look like much. Kind of like tucked in sort of an industrial area of The Mission in San Francisco. Inside, it’s three different studios, and it’s an all-analog studio. There’s not a computer in the whole building. It’s all run through tape. This is actually the first time that I’ve run completely analog. My first album and my second album, we recorded digitally and then during the mix-down process mixed it onto tape so it still gave it sort of a tape quality,” she told Gene.
“But I think to record it all to tape not only affects the sound of it but it affects sort of your approach to recording, because there can’t be a lot of tape so you have to be prepared as far as the musicians go, as far as what the arrangements of the songs are going to be, and you also have to be all right with things sounding not quite perfect, you know?
“And I think it’s a good approach, so you don’t overanalyze the record, or else you just overthink it.”
Also, Ben Affleck’s third film as a director, the historical thriller “Argo,” is new on DVD and Blu-ray today. He produced, directed and starred in his new period piece, about a recently declassified 1980 operation to sneak six stranded Americans out of revolutionary Iran. Even knowing the outcome, my fingers were digging into the arms of my theater seat the entire final 45 minutes. The film was No. 3 on my top 10 films of 2012 and is considered a best picture front-runner going into Sunday’s 85th Academy Awards.
Gene, George Lang and I will break down our Oscar predictions on Friday.
Here are more new CDs, DVDs and books out this week, from Amazon.com and VideoETA.com:
CDs
Samantha Crain, “Kid Face.”
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, “Push the Sky Away (Limited Edition).”
Celtic Thunder, “Mythology.”
Robin Trower, “Roots and Branches.”
Paul Hardcastle, “Paul Hardcastle VII.”
Various artists, “Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys.”
Buckcherry, “Confessions (Deluxe Edition).”
The Jerry Garcia Band, “GarciaLive Vol. 1: Capitol Theatre.”
Robben Ford, “Bringing It Back Home.”
DVD/Blu-ray
Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake
Anna Karenina
Argo
Atlas Shrugged: Part II
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome
The Factory
Fun Size
Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season
Lake Placid: The Final Chapter
The Pill
Sinister
Small Apartments
Special Forces
Sushi Girl
Undefeated
Books
The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend by Glenn Frankel
Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson
The Soundtrack of My Life by Clive Davis
After Visiting Friends: A Son’s Story by Michael Hainey
The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More by Bruce Feiler
Power Foods for the Brain: An Effective 3-Step Plan to Protect Your Mind and Strengthen Your Memory by Neal Barnard
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance The Complete Official Guide Collector’s Edition.
-BAM
Listen: Samantha Crain makes new album “Kid Face” available for preview streaming, playing a sold-out show Saturday at Oklahoma City’s Blue Door
Oklahoma singer-songwriter Samantha Crain poses for a photo in Oklahoma City, Friday, Jan.. 18, 2013. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma singer-songwriter Samantha Crain will play a sold-out CD release show at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Door, with fellow Okie Parker Millsap opening the gig. For more information, go to www.bluedoorokc.com.
The show is marking next Tuesday’s release of Crain’s new album, “Kid Face,” (Ramseur Records), the follow up to 2010′s “You (Understood),” which received praise from Rolling Stone, SPIN, New York Times and NPR and made my top 10 list for that year.
“Yeah, this is actually the first like fully autobiographical album that I’ve written,” she told The Oklahoman Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett in a recent interview in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District.
“I think before, even if I was dabbling in sort of autobiographical stuff, I always felt the need to kind of color things up with a little bit of fiction here or there, mainly just for my own anxieties about being too personal, probably. But I think, like, the older I’ve gotten, the more comfortable I’ve become with myself and with my own story, that it’s been easier to write more autobiographical stuff.”
She also told Gene how “Kid Face” was produced by John Vanderslice and recorded in about eight days strictly on analog tape – no computers involved whatsoever – a decision that resulted in a warm and organic sound that highlights Crain’s songwriting, vocals and lyrics. They recorded the album at his Tiny Telephone studios in San Francisco, a facility favored by top alternative acts these days.
“From the outside it doesn’t look like much. Kind of like tucked in sort of an industrial area of The Mission in San Francisco. Inside, it’s three different studios, and it’s an all-analog studio. There’s not a computer in the whole building. It’s all run through tape. This is actually the first time that I’ve run completely analog. My first album and my second album, we recorded digitally and then during the mix-down process mixed it onto tape so it still gave it sort of a tape quality,” she told Gene.
“But I think to record it all to tape not only affects the sound of it but it affects sort of your approach to recording, because there can’t be a lot of tape so you have to be prepared as far as the musicians go, as far as what the arrangements of the songs are going to be, and you also have to be all right with things sounding not quite perfect, you know?
“And I think it’s a good approach, so you don’t overanalyze the record, or else you just overthink it.”
MTV.com also praised the Dale High School graduate this week with a feature called “Five Reasons You Should Know Samantha Crain” that includes former BAM’s Blog contributor Nathan Poppe’s video of Crain performing Neil Young’s “Tell Me Why.”
And if all that’s not enough, “Kid Face” is available for free preview streaming KDHX.org. So you should stop what you’re doing and click here to go and listen to it.
In addition, the Shawnee native is playing another Oklahoma CD release show at 9 tonight at Tulsa’s Fassler Hall. Parker Millsap and Skating Polly will open the concert. For more information, go to www.fasslerhall.com.
-BAM
Video and photos: Samantha Crain “Never Going Back”
Critically-acclaimed singer/storyteller Samantha Crain has released the stupendous video to her latest single, “Never Going Back.”
The Shawnee resident joined forces with fellow Oklahomans of the innovative filmmaking team LAMAR+NIK for the video. “Never Going Back” is the lead-off track from Crain’s upcoming album “Kid Face,” due out Feb. 19 (Ramseur Records/RED).
LAMAR+NIK are much-buzzed-about for their DIY and imaginative videos (Lushlife’s “Magnolia,” “Reds” for the band Houses), and “Never Going Back” is no exception. Crain was first filmed against a white backdrop, performing the song start to finish. L+N then edited the video, had each and every one of the 3800-plus frames printed out, and then painstakingly hand-cut every photo. The photos were then precisely placed in a series of rows, and filmed in one single, continuous take, according to a news release.
“In essence, the video is basically a 3D version of a film strip laid out on the ground,” said L+N in the release. “In a way, it reflects Samantha’s classical charm. We felt that taking a simple concept and making it great would be the best way to accentuate the music. Although the task was laborious, we’re pretty pleased with the end result.”
Check out production stills from the shoot below.
“Kid Face,” Crain’s third full-length album, is billed as a revelatory song cycle as expansive as the wide-open spaces of the 26-year-old artist’s native Oklahoma and as intimate as a conspiratorial whisper. A gifted, narrative storyteller, Crain has an uncanny ability to unite the sounds of confidence and desperation. Her folk tradition is rooted in Radiohead as much as Bob Dylan or Woody Guthrie, and the songs on
“Kid Face” weave together stories of blue-collar hopes and dreams, love and loneliness. Her previous releases have received praise from national outlets like Rolling Stone, SPIN, New York Times and NPR as well as yours truly.
Earlier this week, Crain kicked off her national tour is support of the album. The tour will include a Feb. 15 stop at Tulsa’s Fassler Hall and a Feb. 16 show at Oklahoma City’s Blue Door.
-BAM
Samantha Crain sets 2013 concert dates in support of new album “Kid Face,” including OKC and Tulsa shows
Critically-acclaimed indie/Americana artist Samantha Crain has announced initial concert dates for 2013. The Shawnee singer-songwriter’s winter trek will will kick off Jan. 23 in Raleigh, N.C., at the Berkeley Cafe on and be played at intimate venues around the country.
The tour will home-state gigs Feb. 15 at Fassler Hall in Tulsa and Feb. 16 at the Blue Door in Oklahoma City. Fellow Oklahoma singer-songwriter Parker Millsap will open the OKC show.
The tour will be in support of Crain’s new album, “Kid Face,” set for a Feb. 19 release (Ramseur Records), the follow up to 2010′s “You (Understood),” which received praise from Rolling Stone, SPIN, New York Times and NPR and made my top 10 list for that year.
“Kid Face” was produced by John Vanderslice and recorded in about eight days strictly on analog tape – no computers involved whatsoever – a decision that resulted in a warm and organic sound that highlights Crain’s songwriting, vocals and lyrics.
Check out one of her new songs, “Never Going Back,” by clicking here.
Along with her ability to unite the sounds of confidence and desperation, hers is a folk tradition rooted in Radiohead as much as Bob Dylan or Woody Guthrie. The songs on “Kid Face” weave together blue-collar hopes and dreams, love and loneliness, as the Oklahoma native draws a line on a relationship, feels alienated from society, creates a more colorful identify for herself, grapples with the giving of compassion, and submits to the call of far-off places.
With new dates being confirmed every day, see her initial itinerary for 2013 after the break.
What to do in Oklahoma on Dec. 15, 2012: Check out the Sugar Plum Songswap at The Opolis
John Calvin (Photo by Dakota Lewallen)
Today’s featured event:
NORMAN - Hear Oklahoma singer-songwriters Travis Linville, Samantha Crain, Beau Jennings, John Calvin and Taylor Rapp perform at the Sugar Plum Songswap Toy Drive at 9 tonight at The Opolis, 113 N Crawford.
Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $8 with a new or gently used toy; $10 without. The show is open to guests ages 21 and older.
For more information, go to www.starlightmints.com/opolis.html.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
Listen: Samantha Crain’s holiday songs “Breaking the Ice” and “Christmas for Cowboys”
Critically-acclaimed indie/folk/Americana artist Samantha Crain of Shawnee is getting some yuletide attention.
Rolling Stone has just posted “Breaking the Ice,” a lighthearted Phil Spector-ish tune that the Oklahoma singer-songwriter penned about a girl getting up the courage to talk to a boy around Christmastime. To hear the song, click here.
The song was initially made available on last year’s “A Blackwatch Christmas,” a free download showcasing Oklahoma musicians. As previously reported, the second volume was recently released; to listen, click here.
In addition, the magazine Cowboys & Indians kicked off their holiday season with Samantha’s cover of John Denver’s “Christmas For Cowboys.” The track is posted below.
Samantha will release her third album, “Kid Face” – the album cover art is posted above – on Feb. 19. It’s her first autobiographical work, and features her powerhouse voice, exceptional songwriting skills, and songs that weave blue-collar feelings of love, loneliness, hopes and dreams, independence and strength, and the call of far-off places. Samantha’s previous works have received high praise from outlets like Rolling Stone, NPR, New York Times, SPIN, and Nylon.
The singer-songwriter will play during the 22nd Annual Tribute to Woody Guthrie at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. For more information, go to www.bluedoorokc.com.
-BAM
