Have you even heard of Sam Phillips? Unfortunately, most people haven't. I think her music is really good, especially her poppy phase from the late 1980s through the 1990s.
She's had a strange career. She started out as Leslie Phillips, doing Christian music. But after releasing a few albums like that, she changed her name to Sam and changed her musical style, almost entirely dropping the Christian aspect. Her new style was highly commercial, in my opinion, very catchy and Beatlesque, and with her writing all of it. But it didn't sell well at all, and she remained obscure. At the start of the 2000s, she switched styles again, going for a more sedate and stripped down sound.
Personally, her 1994 album "Martinis and Bikinis" is my favorite. It's a five-star album in my book, for sure. I would post that here, except I assume it's still in print. So instead I'm posting this concert. It's from the supporting tour for that album, and the vast majority of the songs from it are played, as well as some of the best songs from her previous album (though with the "Leslie Phillips" years forgotten).
There are very few Sam Phillips bootlegs, since she'd never been that popular. But this is an excellent soundboard. I made a few minor fixes. For a couple of songs, such as "The Turning" and "Same Rain," the volume sometimes dropped down for no reason, so I balanced those spots to match the rest of the song. Also, because it's a soundboard with very little crowd noise, it sounded odd to me when each song ended and barely any audience reaction could be heard. So I boosted the volume of the clapping and cheering. It's still rather quiet, but at least now you don't have to strain to hear it.
This concert is an hour and two minutes long. Most of the songs are played with a full band. But a few, including the first one, are just done acoustically.
If you like this, definitely check "Martinis and Bikinis" too. Then also check out "The Turning," The Indescribable Wow," "Cruel Inventions," and her other albums.
Anyway, if you're looking for some lost gems, check this out.
01 talk (Sam Phillips)
02 The Turning (Sam Phillips)
03 Same Rain (Sam Phillips)
04 talk (Sam Phillips)
05 Signposts (Sam Phillips)
06 Circle of Fire (Sam Phillips)
07 talk (Sam Phillips)
08 Baby I Can't Please You (Sam Phillips)
09 Holding On to the Earth (Sam Phillips)
10 talk (Sam Phillips)
11 Strawberry Road (Sam Phillips)
12 talk (Sam Phillips)
13 Same Changes (Sam Phillips)
14 If I Fall (Sam Phillips)
15 Raised on Promises (Sam Phillips)
16 talk (Sam Phillips)
17 Fighting with Fire (Sam Phillips)
18 talk (Sam Phillips)
19 I Need Love (Sam Phillips)
20 Wheel of the Broken Voice (Sam Phillips)
21 Lying (Sam Phillips)
22 talk (Sam Phillips)
23 Private Storm (Sam Phillips)
24 Answers Don't Come Easy (Sam Phillips)
https://www.upload.ee/files/15249590/SamPhps_1994_VarietyPlyhouseAtlantaGA__7-25-1994_atse.zip.html
It's shocking to me how few photos I can find of Sam Phillips in the 1990s. I found a video of her playing on a song on TV in 1994, but it was rather low-res. So instead of using a screenshot from that, I prefer this photo of a concert from 1989. She's blonde, but I like how the red lighting makes it look like she has bright red hair and even reddish skin.
Cool, I love her music (Have all her albums!) this will be listened to ASAP. Big Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. So many people should know Sam (other than those who know her from Die Hard 3).
ReplyDeleteThose pop records of hers that T-bone Burnett produced were a lot of fun, and yes, very beatlesque. I saw her perform solo in a corner of a bookstore about 10 years ago, across the street from Hollywood's Cinerama Dome. She was excellent. Some artists just don't get lucky.
ReplyDeleteHuge Sam Phillips fan...Never knew there was live stuff from this period...thanks for the post!! This album is my favorite too!
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