Sam Foster — “Loud & Clear”
Americana Highways brings you this premiere of Sam Foster’s single, “Loud & Clear” off of his upcoming album, Heatwaves, set to be released June 17, 2022. The album was recorded at Earthtones Recording Studio in Greensboro, North Carolina. The track was produced by Benjy Johnson and Foster, and features Seth Williams on lead guitar/vocals, Brad Cardille on bass/vocals, Jacob Kuhn on drums, Nikki Forrester on keys, Emanuel Wynter on electric violin, and Sarah Sophia, Emily Stewart, and Laura Jane Vincent singing backup.
“Loud & Clear” is a song for the times – displaying an artist observing the world around him, looking inward, and coming out the other side a different person. Listening back over Foster’s catalogue he has amassed so far, “Loud & Clear” is something different. The song not only presents a new sound, but also showcases a person who is wiser through his observation and reflection – challenging his listeners to be more empathetic for their fellow man.
I wrote ‘Loud & Clear’ during the summer of 2020. The COVID-19 Pandemic was happening. Protests were breaking out in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. People across the country were incredibly hateful towards one another. There seemed to be this collective selfishness among so many folks because they were pissed off they had to wear a mask in the grocery store.
During that time, I had this moment of clarity that the world does not revolve around me. I’d spent so much time in the preceding years only focusing on the world and how it affected me. There was this realization that my life has been pretty easy, and there are countless marginalized communities in the U.S. who aren’t afforded that. I’ve never had to worry about any of my basic needs being met. I’ve never had to worry about being killed because of the color of my skin, my gender, or my religious and political beliefs.
It was like a switch flipped inside me. We, as a country, have to be better. I have to be better. The first step in doing that is considering anything other than your own bottom line. It’s imperative to take into account the needs and situations of anyone who’s not a straight, white man like me. You have to have love and empathy for your neighbor in order to help.
Musically, the song was originally worked up with my former band – Whiskey Foxtrot. We were venturing into different sonic territory. Personally, I didn’t want to just sound like every other Alt-Country and Southern Rock band out there. I was listening to bands like The War on Drugs, My Morning Jacket, The National, and more ‘indie’ (or whatever you want to call it) type music. I took the song to the band and we tried some ideas that weren’t quite right. Then, Jacob Kuhn started playing this drum pattern that you hear throughout the song. It was a warmup beat for him. We were all like ‘yeah, do THAT!’
After Whiskey Foxtrot split up, I went back to being a solo artist and began putting together my own backing band. I knew that song had to go on my own record. Lyrically and musically it was a departure from anything I’d done, which is what this new record Heatwaves is. I’d written so many lovesick-heartbreak songs. It was time to talk about topics that are far more important than about my poor, broken heart, and about how I was sad a girl left me. It was time to experiment with new sounds. Even if it’s nothing groundbreaking; I have to grow myself as an artist. I never want to make the same record over and over again. Fortunately, I’m able to create with like-minded musicians that breathe life into whatever we’re working on. – Sam Foster
For more information on Sam Foster: https://www.samfosternc.com/
You can listen to “Loud & Clear” at the link below.