SAM ROBBINS – AN ARTIST SPOTLIGHT AND INTERVIEW
By Ralph Beauchamp
Sam Robbins is a singer-songwriter from the New England area whose music feels both personal and universal at the same time. His sound caters to lush rhythms and glowing upbeat textures that harbor a totally intimate feel. There’s a patience in his arrangements. That poise allows his music to breathe with a transcendent lushness. Rather than flamboyance, Sam Robbins draws his listeners in by delivering a reflective aura and a positive inner spirit.
Lyrically, Sam Robbins gravitates towards warm storytelling. His songs feel like cherished jewels polished by the crashing of waves on the evening surf. They conjure images of beautiful sunsets and sheltered coves. His voice carries a pleasant fervor that is never too busy or overproduced. That sincerity strokes the purity of his lyrics. Rather than depending on bold flashes, Robbins relies on subtle vocal intonations and emotional incantations to keep his listeners enthralled.
What ultimately defines Sam Robbins is the innocence of his sound. His songs are wrapped around a cinematic impassioned depth while his cadences flow with a simple ease. Every note instills a state of hazy intoxication that feels awe-inspiring. Sam Robbins‘ music appeals to fans of folk and Americana while also resonating with anyone who appreciates ardor over pageantry.
Sam Robbins will be performing at Cantean Coffee & Tea in Hamden on 4/3. The show is sponsored by Bigger Beast Records and All Boats Rise Entertainment.
Sam Robbins was kind enough to sit with AMP for this interview.
AMP: Do you keep a songwriting routine, or do songs usually come from spontaneous moments?
SAM: I keep a musical routine, and sometimes songs from stem from it! I try to get up every morning and play for at least an hour – I do a little voice warm up, stretch and then work on something on guitar – a bluegrass fiddle tune, a fingerstyle thing or a new song… I find that the songwriting inspiration finds me when I’m expanding my musicality.
AMP: What’s one song you wrote that surprised you the most once it was finished?
SAM: I would say “Raining Sideways”, a song I wrote about my dad in college. It’s a weird song… no chorus, no hook, no amazing rhyme scheme or anything, but it just TUMBLED out of me and was an amazing thing to witness. It was like I just stumbled upon the song.
AMP: You’ve mentioned influences like James Taylor and Jim Croce. What did you learn from them as a songwriter? In addition, are there any newer artists influencing your music now?
SAM: I love those singer songwriters from the 70’s for a lot of reasons… I think they really captured a “between-ness” of emotion that’s really beautiful. A lot of their songs are hopefully but tinged with sadness… there’s an opacity in the chord choices, the lyrics and delivery that has always grabbed me.
I really love a lot of pop writers nowadays! I really think pop music has gotten so amazing – I love Sabrina Carpenter’s new album. Also, I love Trousdale and Olivia Barton… great songwriters and performers!!
AMP: Your album, So Much I Still Don’t See reflects life on the road. Can you give us a little insight into the record?
SAM: Yes! I’m really proud of So Much I Still Don’t See… it feels like a real culmination of the last few years on the road. I’ve been learning about who I am as a writer and performer, and I wanted to really encapsulate it onto an album, which I think we did!
We recorded the bones of the album live – me, playing guitar and singing, with a great upright bass player. Then, we added in pieces as needed. A little piano, a little electric guitar, a little percussion… I wanted it to feel like a slightly elevated version of what I do live, but I didn’t want it to lose that live feel.
Me and the producer, Seth Glier, chose songs that really mesh together. We wanted it to be a cohesive ALBUM, not just a collection of songs. It ended up turning into a pretty uplifting album in a time when I find it hard to be uplifted!
AMP: Is there a song in your catalogue that audiences connect with differently than you expected?
SAM: Honestly, the song “People Gonna Talk” always seems to hit hard in a way that I didn’t expect when I wrote it. It was a song written as a message to a young songwriter I met… it’s a message that I wished I had heard when I was sixteen. I love the song, but I didn’t expect it to get the emotional response it does. But I’m grateful for it!
AMP: What’s something about touring that most fans would never expect?
SAM: I think something I’ve learned about touring is that it’s pretty unglamorous no matter what level you’re at! No matter who you are (unless you’re maybe at the Taylor Swift level), it’s a lot of truck stops, highways and finding your next meal!
Focusing on the “stardom” aspect of it all, the bright lights of the stage, etc., doesn’t work very well in my opinion. It’s all about the audience, and reaching out one-to-one from the stage.
AMP: Looking back on your early songs, how do you feel your songwriting has evolved?
SAM: Honestly, I think I’ve just gotten a lot better at “crafting” my songs! It was so fun in the early songs to just catch a piece of inspiration and let that drive the whole writing process. When I look back at those songs now, there are some really great parts of them – flashes of inspiration in the lyrics and melodies, but the some filler moments too… I couldn’t quite bridge the gaps.
Nowadays, I try to match the “lightning bolt of inspiration” moments with learning how to bridge the gaps between.
AMP: What advice would you give a young songwriter trying to find their voice?
SAM: I’d say don’t rush it. I think we’re encouraged as artists to try to immediately “get famous”, even though no one knows what that actually means.
“Post on social media and you’ll go viral”! “Go on reality TV and you’ll be famous”!
But you need to have developed enough to be strong in your artistry to do that. To me, there needs to a long time of introspection and working on your music WITHOUT everyone else’s opinions!
AMP: Your music often feels reflective and philosophical. What life experiences have shaped that perspective?
SAM: I think this answer ties in with the last one – everyone has unique life experiences to write about and there so many little pieces of inspiration all around.
I think part of the job of a songwriter is to keep your antennae up… to try to see the inspiration that could be squeezed out of every day life.
So much of my writing comes from my experiences on the road, and being able to really be with people in person. I’m very grateful to have been able to spend time with so many people from so many different backgrounds. I also write with veterans, which is an incredibly inspiring experience for me.
AMP: What do you hope listeners take away after hearing you play live?
SAM: I want everyone to feel comfortable at my shows – I want them to be able to relax from the craziness of the world and just BE together. I always want it to feel like a conversation between me and the audience, not that I’m performing AT you.
Playing shows is my favorite thing in the world, and I’d love to see you there!
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