What It Is

cold on the tollgate with the wagons creeping through

Hello,

I am very excited about Bruce Springsteen’s new Lost Albums box set, obviously. In one of the first transmissions from this newsletter—now alive and kicking for more than one year, thanks for your continued support—I mentioned a recurring dream I’ve had since I was a kid where I go to a record store and find a new Springsteen album I didn’t know existed. This dream largely stems from reading about all the multitudes of unreleased projects in his vault (one of which provides the title of this newsletter, by the way) and wondering if one day I’d ever get to hear them. Now I will! And the cover art even has a kind of cryptic dream logic to it, just like the images conjured from my subconscious. I love this latest single, “Blind Spot.” Among other things, it offers further evidence that Bruce really shreds at bass.

Since my last newsletter, I put out an album called Melody Trail and did an insane press blitz around it. I would be remiss if I didn’t use this opportunity to, once again, direct people to read this long, extensive feature by Anna Pichler for Paste where I spoke frankly about the pursuit of happiness and my general motivation for making things. I am grateful for Anna’s deep engagement and thoughtful writing, which goes further into my life story than pretty much anything that’s been written about me before. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel strange to be on this side of music journalism after so long in the trenches. But it also feels nice to read people interpreting and describing this project I care about so much in ways that align with my intentions. A few highlights: Old Grey Cat called the album “the sound of a man entering middle age” and quoted “The River.” Spill Magazine applauded my healthy-seeming relationship with social media. Rosy Overdrive professed that I come off “more or less as a regular guy.” GoldFlakePaint said “the weight of time [rolls] on regardless.” Yes.

I’ve been very much enjoying playing these new songs live in different configurations, for different crowds of people, on different nights of the year. In the past month I opened for both Will Stratton and Fust, and both shows were a blast. I even got to go on stage with Fust and sing harmonies on “Violent Jubilee.” A dream come true! My album release show back in February was also really fun. It doubled as a celebration for my favorite football team, who had just won the Super Bowl the preceding night, and the atmosphere was tender, rowdy, auspicious. I have two local performances in the near future, and one of them is actually very near (tonight).

April 18 | Jones Bar / doing one song at a Jason Molina tribute show
May 13 | Mercury Lounge / opening for Advance Base and Kristin Daelyn

What else is going on? I am at various stages in the process of several creative projects, and I’m not sure which will emerge first. Stay tuned, I guess! I’ve also finally invested in a pair of AirPods. They are so convenient to travel with and the sound is surprisingly good. The only downside is one time I was listening to something that made me gasp, and with my sharp inhale, I accidentally sucked the AirPods in through my earholes and deep inside my skull. To get them out I had to close my eyes, pinch my nose shut, and blow them out of my ears! Needless to say I got some strange looks from everybody on the subway car that morning. But what can I tell ya? I yam what I yam.

I am what I am,
Sammy