Stowaway

Samiam
FeaturedStowaway

March 31st, 2023

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Samiam drop 3rd single "Monterey Canyon" from forthcoming LP

9.0

Samiam have returned! The Oakland, CA punk legends recently announced, Stowaway, their first new album in 12 years, and today they're sharing another single from the record, "Monterey Canyon." "Monterey Canyon" follows previous singles "Crystallized" and "Lights Out, Little Hustler" and provides another blast of crunchy guitars and massive hooks. The driving new track finds Samiam still in top form, with all of the melancholy-yet-uplifting catharsis that the group have always excelled at. This is Samiam at it's best and is true to form, with their nostalgic brand of guitar driven heart-on-your-sleeve anthemic punk rock, sounding dark and triumphant all at once.

By Jason Gordon
Jason Gordon image

Samiam are back!

9.0

Sergie Loobkoff has been a busy man! Writing and releasing two outstanding LPs between 2020 and 2022 with new supergroup Ways Away, and as much as I loved those albums, I always wondered what a new Samiam album would sound like and hoped they would resurface at some point. There had been rumors they were working on new music, but whether it would finally ever surface was suspect. I also felt like Ways Away had a lot of what I loved about Samiam, but was still missing the pop-sensibility and trademark vocals that Jason Beebout brought to the table. Thankfully the wait is finally over. Legendary punk band Samiam have now returned with new music, and a new album announcement, and I'm here for it. The band has just announced their new LP "Stowaway" via Pure Noise Records, set for release in March, and has released two singles from the forthcoming LP, and they absolutely rule! Both singles, the newly released "Crystalized" and previously released single "Lights Out Little Hustler" capture the anthemic and nostalgic emo/punk you'd expect from Samiam. Big melodies, soaring choruses, and Beebout's classic vocal hooks, these songs transport me straight back to the 90s, while sounding just as fresh and invigorating as they ever have. Sergie definitely has a formula in his songwriting and it's worked in every project he's participated in; whether it be Knapsack, Racquet Club, Ways Away, and of course my personal favorite Samiam. I'm a firm believer in 'if it's not broken, don't fix it', and that's what we have with these new songs. Their brand of emotionally driven punk rock with sing-along hooks will always have a place in my music collection, and I'm super excited to hear what's in store on the remaining 10 songs of this 12 song LP. Stream the new songs below if you don't believe me, and be on the lookout for more comments about the LP in the coming months. Also, be sure to catch them in April on one of their East Coast headlining tour dates if you have the chance! I'll be there! Meanwhile, it's been 12 years since we've had an album from these guys and from what I can tell, the new LP will have been worth the wait.

By Jason Gordon
Jason Gordon image

Oakland, CA punk legends Samiam have returned to announce Stowaway, their first new album in 12 years, due out March 31st via Pure Noise Records. The album picks up right where Samiam left off with all of the energy, melody, and pathos of their classic work, proving exactly why the group are still one of the most endearing and enduring punk bands of their generation. To mark the album's announcement, Samiam have shared its first official single "Crystallized." Bursting out of the gate with crunchy guitars and vocalist Jason Beebout's distinctly tuneful bellow, the track packs a massive chorus that's sure to please longtime fans and new listeners alike. The new LP will consist of 12 songs, including the previously released single "Lights Out Little Hustler".

From forming in the Oakland DIY punk scene in 1988, to eventually experiencing the major label alt rock feeding frenzy of the 1990s first hand, Samiam have experienced countless ups and downs in their 30+ years as a band. But their output has always remained incredibly consistent and Stowaway is no exception. Recorded piecemeal in different studios throughout the challenges of the past few years, the album reflects Samiam's knack for turning difficult circumstances into anthemic singalongs. Stowaway may reckon with time, failure, and frustration but in classic Samiam fashion, the hard luck stories are delivered via some of the band's most energetic and hooky songs to date. "If you're lucky, you get this sort of sense when you're in a band that you're participating in something that's important to other people," explains guitarist Sergie Loobkoff. "And I still get that with Samiam." Stowaway might have been over a decade in the making, but it was well worth the wait.