Only one word can describe the album “Songs in the Night” by Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers: obscure.
Fans of Regina Spektor and Fiona Apple might enjoy this album, but the songs aren’t up to the same lyrical quality. While I enjoy the music by those artists, I wasn’t a huge fan of this album. Although I have nothing against the vocals and instrumentals, this album wasn’t my cup of tea. The lyrics completely turned me away from wanting to put the songs on repeat. Perhaps if I were a more simple-minded person, I could have enjoyed it more.
In comparison to other songs on the CD, “The Dam Song” has one of the best overall meanings. It’s talking about a dam and a metaphorical dam in a person. It’s a song that everyone can relate to. The metaphorical dam represents how individuals let their emotions build until the dam breaks and everything they have been keeping inside spills out. I prefer a song with a little bit more of a story, but this is one of the better song lyrically on the CD. The only downside of the song is that Crain’s voice annoys me. Her voice starts off sounding whiney and words aren’t clearly enunciated. However, gradually the words become clearer and the whiney sounds diminishes.
Crain keeps the same sound quality throughout the CD, despite some pitchy and whiney moments in a few of the songs. It’s difficult to listen to this album because the quality of the lyrics leaves something to be desired. Even someone with a voice as nice as Crain’s would sound ridiculous singing these songs.
It seems as though the tracks were intended for younger children, around the age of 10, because of their simplicity. If the songs were more age appropriate, then I would understand the lack of quality. It’s hard to get a full assessment of the instruments because the music doesn’t come across as too challenging to play. The instrumental portion of the song is low-key and nothing too complex, which matches the lyrics perfectly.
“Bananafish Revolution” is depressing. This song is twisted; it’s a dark song discussing suicide. I can’t imagine singing, “it’s a perfect day for dying.”
Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers might be trying to reach an audience that is comfortable discussing the exact scene of their suicide by singing lyrics such as “The trees were my audience applauding.” I think an artist should consider the potential audience they might lose by having songs such as this. If this song was on the radio, I would switch the station. Even on a bad day, I don’t want to hear a song that makes suicide seem acceptable.
I don’t have an interest in listening to this album again, but that’s only because of the lyrics. Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers are talented and I would be interested hearing them produce something with substance instead of nonsense.