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Mar 08, 2017 Sam Patch By Stephen Mayne

Tim Kingsbury has done pretty well for himself as the bassist (amongst other things) for reigning champions of indie rock, Arcade Fire. With a new Arcade Fire record due, you’d expect time to be at a premium. Yet somehow he’s turned out a solo album under the nom de guerre Sam Patch (he of the daredevil—and ultimately fatal—river leaping fame).

Despite his day job, and the presence of fellow Arcade Fire member Jeremy Gara, Yeah You, And I is no Arcade Fire spin-off. In place of brooding anthems comes a lighter and fleeter set of eight songs. With judicious use of synths and driving percussion, the best tracks—such as “No No No No,” “100 Decibels,” and “St. Sebastian”—come across as radio friendly and perfectly formed sing-along throwbacks.

None of this is particularly adventurous, nor do songs that stray from the formula, notably the somberly good but out of place album closer “Up All Night,” really work. Unlike the original Sam Patch then, this is no brave leap into the unknown, but also unlike Patch, Kingsbury should still be around to produce more. And with a knack for songs that get lodged in your head, that’s definitely a good thing. (www.sampatchmusic.com)

Author rating: 6.5/10