Victoria’s Sam Weber has material that sounds deceptively simple but there is significant depth to his songs: subtle hooks, sophisticated production, and great arrangements.  His 2014’s debut album, Shadows in the Road, has so many great songs it is hard to showcase just a few.  Certainly “Right Hearted” has to be singled out as the obvious radio single.  While the intro might be a little long, when the acoustic guitar kicks in the song takes off, stratospherically so when the keyboard appears at the 1:17 point.  There is a very Sam Roberts feel to the hooks and chorus.Right Hearted

From there the album moves in a number of directions, with influences as disparate as Bruce Springsteen, Daniel Lanois, and Warren Zevon, particularly on “Love in the Age of Lust.”  Other highlights for me include “Rolling,” “Peace,” “Something to Say” (that features a great organ), and “The Nerves” (with the great line ‘the words that keep my heart afloat are stuck inside my throat’). Each song is wonderfully layered sonically, with “Peace” and “Something to Say” also tackling social themes. The Nerves

Weber’s new album, Valentina Nevada, is just about out, with its first single “Anybodys” grooving on a Van Morrison vibe.Anybody’s

Sam Weber and band appearing live in a Toronto living room, May 2016.

Check out the mini-documentary on the band, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, on Sam Weber’s Youtube page as well as the latest news from his website and Facebook page.  Photos by Ryann Hoxsey-Pilon, Toronto 2016.