What can we say about Sam Draisey? Now something of a veteran, he’s a successor to the young Billy Bragg – a clever songwriter with protest in his soul. His new album. Hypernormalisation, comes five years after its predecessor (https://folking.com/sam-draisey-red-vs-blue-own-label/ ) which is a long time in this business and he is joined by Daniel Hart, Ewan Stevens and drummer Dickie Davis. Sam plays everything else including his first instrument, bass.
The opening track, ‘Millenial’, is dedicated to Sam’s generation, born in the 80s, who now realise that the system is not for them, taking a swipe at his elders in the process. I hate to tell you, Sam, but some of us boomers worked that out a while ago and, for the record, I didn’t vote for Brexit and wouldn’t let Reform on the premises. A broad brush is all very well but sometimes you need some precision. ‘Wild & Free’ and ‘Idioms’ continue in a similar vein as does ‘Algorithm & Blues’ – great title – but herein lies my problem. Sam’s rockabilly punk style makes for excellent listening but, as he points out, I’m old and my hearing was wrecked decades ago. Fortunately, the lyrics are made available on Sam’s website which increases my enjoyment immensely.
Sam takes his foot off the gas a bit with ‘Money & Fire’ but the fire in his words remains undiminished. ‘Sanctuary’ takes a slightly different perspective as Sam shows himself to be a home-loving guy – something else that comes with age. Amongst his other subjects for attack – money, the capitalist system, politicians, consumerism – there is an observation on climate change in ‘The Tipping Point’. Sam’s solution is that we must change our habits, a theme picked up in ‘There Is Another Way’ and ‘My Politics’, the most positive song in the set in which he firmly nails his colours to the mast.
‘You Can’t Ask Them To Go Without Again’ turns its attention back to greed, politics and, in particular, austerity while ‘The Sea Will Rise’ returns to the problems of climate. Finally, ‘Whatever Became Of The Working Man’s Game?’ turns its attention to the beautiful game but deep down it all comes down to money and greed, two of the principal themes of Hypernormalisation.
I am saddened to think that the subjects for protest remain what they were back in the 60s and 70s but Sam has done an excellent job in bringing them all back to our attention. The five year interlude between albums was time well spent.
Dai Jeffries
Artist’s website: www.samdraisey.com
‘My Politics:
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