Brisbane's most raucous indie rocker has come back with torn photographs and wasted youth, this time with his latest single 'Stronger Now.' Sam Geddes, performing under his SAMMM moniker, is well known for his brutish vocal delivery & his powerful storytelling, with 'Stronger Now' really dialling up these twin disciplines to eleven. Recently the artist supported WAAX at their April 29th Brightside gig, and I was front and centre. Let's just say he popped the fuck off and leave it at that. See him live for yourself though, but take the next two days off work from a hoarse throat because you'll be shriekin'.
The track immediately grabs you by the ears with jangly guitar tang and pours vitriolic vocal acid down your throat. The uptempo nature of the song belies the graphic reality of the lyrics, Smiths style. The gripping vocal drawl reminds me of something like Faker, but with a healthy dollop of scathing emotion behind the eyes. The guitar leads the melody, with saloon-piano tinkles peeking through.
It's the time change in the bridge that really gives this song a rating of sixteen microwaves out of ten. The entire song is built on propulsion, SAMMM kicks down the door and he's on the run. But it all comes smashing to a halt and we get a glimpse of his expert stream-of-consciousness storytelling. This is the most exciting and interesting part of the song, both sonically and emotionally. Grab your granny's skull candy headphones or your grandad's Beats and wrap them around your head. You'll thank me later.
The track tackles addiction and the social fallout that comes creeping in its wake:
“When I wrote ‘Stronger Now’, I was watching addiction destroy my relationships, almost as if I was viewing my life from the outside, making choices that weren’t my own. The lyrics, “wasted youth” came out so easily because I felt that I had lost so many younger years to drugs and bad choices. Then I’d be face-to-face with depression and anxiety again, and drugs felt like a safe constant for me.”
“I think in retrospect ‘Stronger Now’ is a tribute to the friends that had to give up on me because I know it’s hard to support an addict in a downward spiral. ‘Stronger Now’ was my mantra that I wasn’t giving up on myself yet.”
SAMMM has proven time and time again that he is one to watch out for, from his 2020 EP Fresh Sheet Feeling to the moment 'Stronger Now' fades from your screen. His pen has gouged pages with topics of substance abuse, self care, intense romance & heartbreak, and he's not slowing down. Wrestle with your inner demons with a little SAMMM angel on your shoulder today.
