The Last Day

So with the year end list out of the way I can finally make my one last announcement of the year in regards to Sam's Song of the Day people and that is that after 9 years of doing this on February 16th, 2019 I will officially be bringing Sam's Song of the Day to an end and to pay tribute to 9 year's of effort I'll be hosting a special end of day's show if you will at Minibar here in KCMO I'll be having a show to celebrate 9 years of Song of the Day with live performances from the bands Fiction Department, The Uk's, and Scruffy and the Janitors be sure to show up and prove to me that the efforts where all wort it people...

Also I'd like to take a second to thank none other than Kid Computers Very own George McMillian for designing this bad ass fucking poster for me

(Facebook event page)

OH I'm guessing I should probably explain this decision a little bit better well....So let's back things up a bit Sam's SOTD started as a means of me kind of creatively expressing myself on the Smashing Pumpkins forums as a means of trying to give myself an identity because at the time I had finished up high school and was in an awkward transitional time of my life where I'd realized that talking about and discussing music with the world was a true passion of mine and after a couple of months of posting on that forum and my own personal facebook I remember this woman that for lack of a better way to describe her I'd describe as a creative source of inspiration for me complimented a post I'd made about the song, “Blow Up the Outside World,” and said for me to just start a blog already so kind of like the original post I'd decided to find the first blog hosting site that came up and then started the Sam's SOTD website you are reading today and throughout that time I've had a host of ups and down's that has lead me to cover a host of songs both cringy beyond belief to some of the best god damn pieces of music I'd ever heard in my life.

I've done interviews, reviews, and a host of one off dumb ass idea's that I wasn't sure if they'd stick or not and I did it all to very little response beyond the occasional compliments from various contemporaries and sometimes the occasional post like or comment and it was going good for quite a few years I look back on the effort really put in from 2012 to 2015 and I felt at one point in time that I really maybe finally had something to be proud of, but that wasn't really the case because of certain personal tragedies that had happened to me in 2014 I'd ended up going through some really heavy stuff and my personal love for life, and the things that interested me just kind of stopped and this blog suffered because of it.

I'd stopped posting so regularly and it became harder and harder to not only adequately word just what it was about the music I listened to but it was really hard for me to truly FEEL anything when I was listening to a lot of songs which is kind of funny to think about because 2015 and 2016 I really did kind of try and fail hard to really try and advertise Sam's SOTD as something and I guess near the end of that time frame I'd come to the sad realization that it wasn't and I'd just kind of been felt the fool to try and act as if I'm trying to be someone I never ended up achieving.

I wanted to be a Radio Dj and a music journalist, I wanted the world to hear my opinion on these songs and be like, “Yeah you're fucking right dude this does rule,” and sadly enough that never was to be I can only really blame myself for not putting the effort in to REALLY make this a thing and I guess taking 2018 off to reflect over that just brought it all into perspective I decided to just put more effort into the job I currently have and figured that ending this blog and trying to find my mojo or possibly make one last go at trying to make a piece of art that the world can look at and enjoy and show me that my efforts as a voice of unbridled passion was really wort it but as of today this website isn't it.

With that all said and an end on the horizon all that's really left to do until then is to just celebrate myself and look back at 9 years of music that made this thing what it is today so with that in mind until that show comes I'll be posting and undetermined number of songs from this playlist I worked on and started tearing up at that showcases the various songs that I've enjoyed over these years and a host of music that has a certain level of importance to me that I'll be telling you guy's with each post until the day of the show where I'll throw it and maybe make one last post comprised of pics as the last send off.

Now with that in mind starting January 1st I'll be starting out covering all of the songs that I personally considered the best of their respective years in question so stay tuned for that and be prepared to see this be the most active it's been in years.

Sam's Top 5 of 2018 #1

#1

Past Love-Kimbra

You know in the 7+ years I've obsessed over this woman I have yet to ever put her atop my year end list starting with her guest spot with Gotye on the first list and into Vow's which in retrospect is a hell of a pop album but my writing around 2012 was at best the cringiest point of my life and 2014 a confusing mess of things as well as a surprisingly strong year in retrospect in terms of both the songs on that years list and the amount of effort I really put into this blog and over those years I've gone through a lot and done a lot of growing as a person in terms of where I've ended up in life and what I consider good music or writing but through all of this Kimbra has been an artist that I've consistently supported and enjoyed watching do her thing and this year not only did I get to see her again but she gifted me with something I didn't realize I've always wanted.

Kimbra made a fucking Doo-wop song and it is the best god damn thing EVER! If you look back on the earliest day's of this blog you'd know that since I started this I've grown an appreciation for old school Rhythm and Blues and the kind of simple yet clean way it presents what's at their core very simple songs that don't need to rely on complex song writing but rather the vocalist ability to properly emote feelings from the words through their performance and Kimbra being one of the most underrated vocalist in the game not only stood up to the plate but hit it beyond the stratosphere and has crafted what's truly an instant classic to be appreciated for decades to come in my humble opinion.

This is truly the only instance of ever hearing a song that I didn't know I needed in my life but now that it is I never EVER want to let it go. This is sorrow, regret, joy, and every which what emotion a song could possibly make you feel on top of a rhythm that's so tight, clean, and simple that it doesn't need any fancy effects what so ever just Kimbra's beautiful sultry delivery and a steady drum beat with some light baroque instrumentals near the end just to keep things just that extra bit of exceptional.

I fucking love this god damn song more than life itself people and I think Kimbra not only recorded the best song of her entire career here but she's honestly probably made the single greatest song of the decade and I'm sure I'll always have that sentiment for sure.

I didn't do a whole lot of going out this year and in terms of writing and inspiration through music I just haven't felt a god damn thing but for how long and important this all has been for me there's still moments that had to hit me and of all the things I've heard this tune hit me in a way that I truly can't recall having felt in quite some time and seeing her live from my tickets I won in a show that I'd literally waited years to have happen again only confirmed that this is one of those number one picks I'll never regret and in all honesty the only song I could put here no matter how good the rest of my picks really were.

That's the end of the year list I wasn't going to not post something on here and stay tuned for one more announcement later this month just before January of 2019 folks because it's maybe the most important thing I'll ever announce on here and I need everyone to be there.

It was quite wonderful to get to post on here again and this years song selections where quite the pleasure to post and listen to I'd like to take a second to thank everyone for reading, sticking around, sharing the post, and of course just generally being there don't have too much fun this holiday season and stay tuned for a HUGE announcement coming soon.

-Sam

Sam's Top 5 of 2018 #2

#2

Modeling is Hard-Scruffy & The Janitors

You know we almost had a repeat of last year not gonna lie it was really fucking hard to not have any of the songs from 2018's hands down best album be number one but I'll get to that later because right now I have to talk about St. Joseph Missouri's finest Scruffy and the MOTHER FUCKING Janitors and this exceptional piece of music they released.

I've seen these guy's so many times in the past 2+ years that I got put in this album's liner notes which was absolutely insane but what's really crazy is how since this album dropped back in February I haven't stopped listening to it and in all seriousness it's maybe one of the best god damn albums I've heard in a long ass time every single song from beginning to end has been refined beyond perfection with a fine tooth comb and back after 4 long years of relentless touring, blood, sweat, tears, bottles of booze, and being the most hard working sons of bitches around you got 14 impossibly great tracks that showcase a band looking to truly showcase that they've grown exponentially in terms of their abilities as a group of musicians looking to spread the message of life through rock and roll and this song just barely stood above the rest in my book to do that.

From it's opening bass line, to the soaring wall of guitars and echo's of, “AH,”(Yes I know it's simple but fuck you it rules) you have a song that crawls into your head and demands you take notice of how fucking awesome it really is and the delivery of, “The more you talk about it, The More it Lingers on, I'm trying not to follow but you're coming in strong, now I'm Hanging out the Window, and reaching for the words that you said, and I can't figure out your head,” just hit's you in a way that you can't help but scream along to Steven Foster's voice just reaches a point in this track that's anything and everything you could ever really want in a 4 ½ minute rock song.

This band took all the momentum they had off Jonestown and delivered times infinity and this song is really something outstanding if you're hearing it out of your car, on your phone, in a shitty little dive bar, basement, or high end venue being played live this song fucking rules and it's something I think everybody needs to experience for the sake of all that's good in this world do it.

Sam's Top 5 of 2018 #3

3 

Afterglow-Kid Computer

Do you like 90's alternative rock? Well I FUCKING DO and while I honestly didn't get too much into the Holiday's as a group I did have them perform at my house for their very last show and in the process of one thing coming to an end came this new group Kid Computer who just kind of entered 2018 in a similar place that they were before but with a brand new sense of motivation to prove themselves and what we have here is a song that did what very little seemed to do for me this year and that's really pull me in and make me want to listen to something new.

This song is a very 90's sounding college rock tune that's reminiscent of the Meat Puppets with a bit of Polaris thrown in to make it feel ever so slightly special George McMillian as young as he is does possess a sense of maturity in his performance of this song and the guitar work is some top notch feedback heavy air guitar ready stuff that I've literally had playing around in and out over the course of the whole year as I still try to think of just how something this good came seemingly out of nowhere.

What we have here is an example of a potentially great band to come so what we need to make that a thing is for all of you folks to go see them live, buy all the stuff they have to sell, and promote and rock out to this bad ass beast of a jam because in a day and age of traditional rock and roll falling by the waste side this song is a reminder of why in the fuck all you ever fell in love with that genre to begin with and these guy's are still on the up and up and as exceptional as I find this tune I can only think they're getting better it's just a matter of seeing where this afterglow takes them.

(note they didn't even play this song at this show in particular but fuck it they still ruled)

Sam's Top 5 of 2018 #4

#4

Other Team-The UK's

OK mother fuckers I have been waiting since...hold on let me check the poster on my wall real quick....April 23rd, 2016 the release show of their first album which they ironically ended up not headlining due to shenanigans we don't need to get too into at this very moment in time since they ended their set with that song I've been patiently waiting for them to record and release this god damn song and finally 2 years later and countless shows later they finally got around to self financing and recording a release for this song and NOW I CAN FINALLY FUCKING TALK ABOUT IT MOTHER FUCKERS!!!!

So if I'm going to be honest there's a juvenile quality to this track about the struggles of falling in love with a lesbian but you know what when you're heartbroken pettiness comes with the territory and when you manage to at the very least channel that into a very old school rocker of a tune with an insanely catchy hook and some pretty air guitar ready rifts you can't help but get hooked on that and it also kind of doesn't help that I was in a very salty place in my life when I first heard this song but we don't need to get too into that my overly self reflective posting day's aren't really a thing hardly anymore with the increased presence of online trolling and the ever decreasing mental conditioning of your average millenal we need healthy means of coping with our pent up aggression and if this blog was ever any indication of the fact that music has generally been mine then I don't honestly know what to say to all of you.

Yeah like time eventually great things come to ya and this song most certainly is an example of that because while this is a late release in the year it's something I've know was gonna be high on my list the second it's time came this song is an incredibly satisfying piece of aggression that doesn't come off as so petty it hurts but rather a bombastically aggressive and rocking cut for the lonley hearts club with a chorus that's both ready to sing and scream along with and some of this bands most aggressive instrumentals yet and I just love how they do this choir thing near the end of the song before just ending it in one giant bang.

This song is the UK's really finding a means of making something that lives up to the label of garage rock from it's bare boned production, simple but effective lyrics, and most importantly that pure unfiltered rocking instrumental to give a tune that after all these years still makes me scream YEAAAAAAH!

Also I may or may not have yelled, “It's about fucking time,” at the release show I can neither confirm nor deny that.

Picture below may or may not be from that show but I can garuntee it wasn't during this song...

Sam's Top 5 of 2018 #5

Well folks it's time to do this the top 5 tracks of the year as determined by yours truly and rather than to get too into details let's just get straight into today's choice with this pop infused bit of awesome:

#5

Blacklight-Yes You Are

Do you like new wave?

Trick question you fucking love that stuff and if you need a good example of why but with modern production advances and touches of the general evolution of modern pop music to give you the cleanest most dance ready tune you're bound to get stuck in your head well do I have something for you in the form of the all mighty Yes You Are's exceptional cut Blacklight.

Kianna Alarid's powerful fucking vocals are on full effect in this little pop cut from her first uttering of, “Baby you look like a stranger,” to her just BOOMING delivery of this songs chorus she commands your attention in a way that not too many other people in this city can and this song is just one of many cuts they have that showcase their overwhelming sense of professionalism present that makes them stand out well and above a good chunk of their peers.

With a fancy new video and an EP on the horizon this group is looking to take the catchy well produced and focused gems of their previous work and crank them to 11 and dominate 2019 in a way that you won't be ready for but you know you'll be dancing the whole time especially if the tunes are this deliciously 80's sounding.

REMEMBER THE DATE 12/3/18...

YOU MOTHER FUCKERS KNOW WHAT TIME OF YEAR IT IS TIME TO BREAK THIS HIBERNATION FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF....