Sam Baker - Land of Doubt

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 18 / 7 / 2017

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Review

Sam Baker is an artist who, although he has been labeled as country before (Rolling Stone placed Baker’s last album, ‘Say Grace’ in their ten best country albums end of year list in 2013), really stands outside any genre. It’s been thirteen years since Baker first arrived on the music scene. Back then we were all fascinated by how he survived a terrorist bombing in Peru back in ’86. Since then Baker has released four albums, all worth your time but ‘Land of Doubt’ might just prove to be his best collection to date, it’s early days but there are some fascinating songs and arrangements on this album. There are ten songs plus five interludes which range from less than a minute long to over three minutes in length. Having interludes between songs doesn’t always work but here they form an important part of the listening experience. And it is an experience; ‘Land of Doubt’ is an album that demands to be listened to in one complete sitting. There will be no skipping of tracks, the norm it seems these days, because as soon as the first sounds hit you you’ll be captured and want to listen to the album the whole way through with no disruptions. ‘Land of Doubt’ will take you far away from where you are and what you happen to be doing. It will be your go to album for when you just want time on your own, to leave all your problems behind and enter the world of Sam Baker for 44 minutes. Listening to ‘Land of Doubt’ is like sitting in a darkened room watching a film. We know now that Baker is a poet, and this time he has his words set to music produced by Neilson Hubbard, and played by Will Kimbrough and Dan Mitchell who provide the perfect settings for Baker’s lyrics. David Henry and Eamon McLoughlin provide the string section. As usual the album is beautifully presented and there’s a lyric booklet included, not that with Baker’s almost spoken vocal style it’s needed but with such atmospherics surrounding his words this is an album where, at times, the music alone takes you on a journey so it’s good to have the booklet to hand to keep track of Baker’s stories. It’s also fascinating reading when not even listening to the album. But forget Baker’s lyrics for just a minute. One of the interludes on ‘Land of Doubt’ is titled ‘Where Fallen Angels Dwell’. It’s the longest interlude at just over three minutes and in the running for the most beautiful and inspiring piece of music we will hear all year. Despite the fact that Baker is a poet of some standing this so-called interlude is simply one of the best pieces he has ever recorded. It’s a mini-film alone. It’s almost impossible, despite special mention just having to be made for that elongated interlude, to focus on just one track from ‘Land of Doubt’, (all are Baker originals, one a co-write with Mary Gauthier) but ‘Say the Right Words’ is a perfect example of how good this album is if you want to try just one vocal track. The sadness of a daughter leaving home on her wedding day is apparent in Baker’s voice and again the backing and arrangement is just superb. Mitchell’s trumpet, although only making a short appearance on this track, says just as much as Baker’s lyrics. Again, it is a mini-film in just under three minutes. ‘Land of Doubt’ will receive detailed reviews elsewhere, Baker’s lyrics will be analyzed and words that have never entered my vocabulary will be used to drum home just how talented Baker is but there’s only one thing you need to know. Sam Baker has reached a career high with ‘Land of Doubt’; it’s an album, a complete piece of work and one of the most beautiful pieces of art you will hear all year. ‘Land of Doubt’ an appropriate title in 2017 no matter what side of the Atlantic you live on won’t show up in any country music best of lists at the end of this year. It should top the list of any genre.

Track Listing:-

Band Links:-

http://sambakermusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SamBakermusic
https://twitter.com/sambakermusic
https://www.youtube.com/user/SamBakerV