Customer Reviews

Sam Sparro

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

His debut single, "Black & Gold", a monster track, has the makings of a year-defining dancefloor killer, its syncopating sequencers, sinuous vocals and unbanishable melody recalling the force and effectiveness of "Killer" by Adamski and Seal.
It's unquestionably the single of the year and is sounding more amazing as the weather improves. Its durability is its genius.
The rest of the album doesn't disappoint either. Imagine a truly 21st century funk. A place where Daft Punk meets Prince, a place that references mid-eighties US soul such as the SOS Band and Cameo, along with a bit of post-modernist slap-bass.
Having already made a considerable impression on radio playlists with this album's heads-up single"Black & Gold", the twenty-something nu-soul songwriter Sam Sparro finds himself in an enviable position from which to hawk this, his debut album. Whereas the similarly funk-popping Jamie Lidell is likely to find cracking the supermarket crowd tough going with his new Jim collection, seeing he's had chances to impress the mainstream in the past and never truly capitalised on these opportunities, Sparro (born Sam Falson) has no previous, no skeletons to drag from the closet for context here.
Sparro's bright, brassy soundbeds are the work of someone who has grown up with house and 1980s synth-pop and, to this, he adds a voice that has no business belonging to a white Californian.
The influence of Bill Withers and Gil Scott-Heron asserts itself in his supple vocals, to the point where "Sick" - in which his voice is pared down to an echo - comes as a welcome contrast.
On "Hot Mess", his falsetto out-Princes Prince, though it has been years since Prince wrote such caustic, concise funk.
Sparro could soon be one high-flying bird.
Given some of the exhibitionist flair for colourful songwriting on display here, it's a pity our protagonist couldn't have arrived at a slightly more imaginative album title.
Here's Sam Sparro: an Aussie-American-Brit with an ear for a tune, a big distinctive voice, a face for the magazine stands, a whole heap of charisma and, hell, a cute name too. What could possibly go wrong?

Aussie-born Sparro has been honing his sound on an LA indie label for three years now, while music's been part of his life for all of his 25 years. When your great-grandfather's a music professor, your grandfather's a respected jazz musician who performed with Sinatra and your father's a gospel singer, that's the way things tend to go.
His family's four-generation musical heritage notwithstanding, Sparro's debut album draws almost exclusively from the dance music of the last 30 years: a generous helping of electro, a big, heaped plateful of disco, a soupcon of house and lashings of tasty funk on the side.
Sparro's take on these sounds is much like the man himself - strong and sinewy, but packed with sparkle.
Though "Black and Gold" - a slice of disco existentialism with a killer, superglue melody - is the undoubted highlight, there's plenty to enjoy here, most notably the winning Prince pastiche "Hot Mess'"and the fun, flashy next single "21st Century Life".
"Cut Me Loose', meanwhile, is the sort of glitter-drenched party anthem that the Scissor Sisters would sell their gold lamé trousers for.
Despite the disappointment of some lyrical misfires especially on "Pocket", "Cottonmouth" and "Clingwrap", elsewhere Sparro is thought-provoking and serious, rallying against famine and inequality on "21st Century Life", going all existential on us on "Black and Gold" and "Too Many Questions", and slipping in a fairly self-explanatory funk trifle called "Recycle It!" half-way through.
Its handful of teeth-grinding moments notwithstanding, "Sam Sparro" is a frequently impressive debut containing a smattering of future floor-fillers. He's got the voice, the sound and, more often that not, the songs; once he's reined in that "silly" side, this Sparro could really soar.
At around an hour there's a bit of a gap before a pace-dropping untitled bit of lovely mellow soul), Sam Sparro's debut shows a big, important-sounding voice and a broad range of inventiveness and flavours, and becomes more indispensable with every listen, and there's plenty to suggest a seriously golden future.
So, if it's some healthy funk you're wanting in your pop bumps, listen no further than this summery assortment of candy-coloured crowd pleasers.

Songs are upbeat and rhythmic. This is "club-scene" music with a liberal flavor. The songs are about water shortage, pollution, hunger&famine, recycling. Black and Gold is just HOT. I really think this whole CD is very well put together, fun and definitely worth buying. I bought 2 cd's for gifts.

Wow! Sam Sparro has to be one of the best things that has happened to music in a long time! I learned of him and his album, "Sam Sparro" through one of my friend's blog. She raved about how great this album was, and she was not lying! I went to YouTube where I was able to hear his songs, and I fell in love with them all. Sam is definitely a breath of fresh air in this congested R&B climate. Sam doesn't just stop at R&B, he is dance, electronica, funk, pop, and soul. His influences range from everyone from Stevie Wonder to Faith Evans. When you hear his music(particularly the more soulful numbers), you will automatically think Prince. It just goes to show that Prince's own influence is still very much alive today. As far as the album is concerned each and every track stands out. There is a lot of variety here. The album was inspired much by the 80s as well. My favorite songs are "Sally", "Cottonmouth", "21st Century Life", and "Cut Me Loose". I strongly recommend this album!!!!!

I discovered Sam Sparro only a week ago and asked myself - how is it that I had not heard of him before and why, oh, why is he not a mega star? Well, promotion is everything - everything!

Lady Gaga must have a killer PR team working for her. I've listened to her tracks - they're so-so and her videos are some of the worst I've seen - unintentionally comical. But hey, she was on the cover of Rolling Stone recently and Sam Sparro was not.

Is it because he's gay? I hope not! (Adam Lambert, the very talented American Idol runner up was on the cover of RS this month.) Is it because he - an Australian - broke in the UK market first? Can't be - plenty of UK artists are doing great here in the US, although many of them in the retro soul genre.

So WTF is it then? His debut album came out a full year ago. He supposedly has a new one coming out this summer, but I don't see or hear any buzz or PR on that. Somebody is asleep at the wheel at his label or on his PR staff - hope it's not Sam himself, who judging by the interview I watched on the web seems like a super nice - funny and not at all full of himself.

The track "Black and Gold" (which he wrote while working at a coffeehouse in Los Angeles) is sheer genious - one of the best songs I've ever heard, with flawless vocals, arrangement and production. The beautiful lyrics are spiritual and existentialist, but like any good love song, they can be about God OR a lover. (The video is sexy-creepy - Sam in top hat and coat tails. He looks just like John Taylor in that video - J.T. is the bass player from Duran Duran - the likeness is uncanny.)

His other videos are fantastic too - check them out on his MySpace page or on YouTube - some of them very funny, especially Cottonmouth.

This album does not have one bad track on it - a rarity today sadly. It's Prince meets Depeche Mode updated for the 21st Century. I literally ran out and bought the CD - can't recall last time I've bought a new CD. (not an iPod fan). But unless some serious word-of-mouth buzz is created soon, he will not be the big star he truly deserves to be.

Madonna - are you listening? One word from you and Sam will be a big star!

while the only real stand out single type tracks are "black and gold" and "21st century life" a lot of the other tracks are fantastic as well.

the other songs that stand out as really good for me are: too many questions, waiting for time, cottonmouth, pocket, clingwrap and the hidden track 14 which i like to just call "hungry"

i bought this cd as cheap as i could because i wasn't at all sure if i was going to like it because all i was going on was my love of "black and gold" but i honestly have to say i'm really digging this cd.

WHAT an exciting new star in the making, AGAIN! By now, if you're digging deeper into any Sam info, you already know the "tasty bits" ie; former child star, writing songs while at the coffeeshop, etc. But I'd like to add for this young man to SO deliciously re-energize The 80's 'Lectro-Disco-Pop sound so very well from his own writings - without 1 single sample or hook - I find just wonderful!! I've played & replayed my CD to everyone who'll give him a listen & all have come back with the same great feelings about Sam! I feel Sam will be around for MUCH time to come!! As long as his Management/Promotion Teams don't screw with this good thing! I can't wait to see Sam LIVE!! To reproduce his sound on stage will be great times for sure & to see another "Family Member" on tour will be great!! The CD is 1 fun groove from start to finish! Some fluff (for my tastes) but I can't find ANY reason to slam this CD!! TRULY money well spent!! Donnie ;)

This US edition of the CD seems to have an extra/bonus track, #14, which AMAZON.COM is calling "Still Hungry" on their download list. I have the actually CD in my hand and the track is NOT listed on the outside packaging, but does show on my CD player's menu and does play (i.e., not hidden). That must be why it is listed at "Limited Edition."

I love this CD I already had the UK version. I love love love this album. Don't be fooled however by Amazon'a description of the album (Limited Edition) there is nothing limited edition about it. It is just the standard edition of the album. Amazon apparently likes to use terms such as limited edtion or special edition to trick people into buying things that just aren't so. I do highly recomend buying this album just don't be fooled. Amazon go me yet again.

I ordered the CD for one song "Black and Gold" but ended up liking over half of the tracks on the CD. It was a good purchase over all. There is an extra track.