Sarah Sample dishes up a plate of acoustic folk-pop-rock that is salty and sweet.

11 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Modern Folk, ROCK: Acoustic



Details:
If you could patent a failsafe formula for a marked upswing in creativity and artistic productivity, it could certainly look a lot like this:

â Record a debut album (2004âs âRotateâ), learn from its victories and not-so-victories.
â Rub shoulders with up-and-comers (Amy Speace, Kathrin Shorr) and seasoned success stories (Mark Stuart/Stacey Earle, Vance Gilbert, Christine Kane).
â Move from Utah to Texas to Wyoming to Seattle. Wanderlust, anyone?
â Live and soak in Austin, songwriting capital of the free world (just ask any Texan).
â Be a featured guest at your alma materâs Mountain West Songfest & Symposium.
â Cut your hair (youâd be surprised by the anti-Samson effect). Maybe even dye it.
â Honorable mention at 2005 and 2006 Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase
â Play all over the Four Corners, and then some- Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas, including in-the-studio performances on KOAY (SLC), WPR (Laramie, WY), KHEN (Salida, CO), KDNK (Carbondale, CO).
â Play the Founders Title Folk Festival, and crash the party with the Go Girls unofficial SXSW Showcase, and Gorilla Showcases at Folk Alliance.

After all that, the last thing Sarah Sample wanted to make was just another folkie -girl-with-acoustic-guitar album. Sure, the songs were born as just an acoustic guitar and a voice. And, in the folk tradition she loves and respects so much, would likely be taken across America that way. But she didnât want to document them that way. At least not this time.

Enter Scott Wiley (Bonnie Raitt, Tracy Chapman, Elliott Smith) and a new sonic palette. With plenty of reverence for the songsâ because, after all, itâs all about the songsâ they set out to take Sarahâs music into new territory. The album âNever Close Enoughâ is to Sarah Sample as âFlaming Redâ is to Patty Griffin: a marked departure from a promising, acoustic debut but never too far away from her soulful folk roots. Sarahâs passionate, soul-stirring voice is still up front. And her compassionate, empathetic take on the human condition and her melodic polaroids are more moving than ever in songs like âNoahâ and the title track. Fresh (dare we say rocking?) ground is broken on movers and shakers like âPull the Plugâ and âIf You See Me Walking.â A horn section takes us all to church on âMoonlight Band.â Still, songs like âSunrise or Twoâ and âCount the Colorsâ are sure to feel like that familiar, favorite sweater on a quiet night to longtime listeners.

On âNever Close Enough,â with some new musical colors and a great new family of songs, Sarah Sample has achieved the dream: staying true to the muse while staying faithful to her roots.