Sam Forrest - The Edge Of Nowhere

Continuing the sonic experiments on 2010’s No Imagination, The Edge Of Nowhere is a fine spread of semi-acoustic pop goodness. Whilst his band, Nine Black Alps, have slipped from the popular press, Sam has been recording beehives of honey treasures waiting to be indulged. Like Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble’s solo career, Sam has produced rustic masterpieces for years and The Edge Of Nowhere captures his imagination and ear for the unusual at it’s best.

Its raw quality is reflected in the way it was recorded. Produced in Sam’s and Desert Mine Music’s Factory Of Unprofessional Sound late last year, you can hear the room’s cold air adding an unambiguous atmosphere. This is most evident on the wonderfully dark Crow, a perfect choice for opener with a slow groove, melodic flow of lyrics and hypnotic riff. It’s very Sam and a welcome introduction to his solo work, seemingly the soundtrack to walking through the forest at night with fallen leaves crunching at your feet and the eeriness of the night acting the canvas for escape.

That sinister sense of one man realising the status quo is damaged and abnormal is a common theme throughout and the title track continues the flow of ponderous alternative acoustic bliss whilst questioning where to go once you’ve escaped from a mundane existence. Musically, it’s awash with tastefully layers, bluesy lead guitar and an entrancing waterfall of notes cascading over the catchy, dream filled chorus.

In the age of singer-song writers boring the charts with their abyss of eternal nothingness, The Edge… is proudly removed and sits on the shelve of alternative folk, acoustic Americana and the independently minded. The mellow, thoughtful purrs of Feel The Same and the heavy homely punch of Thorn point to a traditional take on the finger picking chimes of the solo artist via hushed vocals from the English countryside.

Indeed, Sam’s position of an independent musician makes the helter skelter of The Edge… free from pressured commercialism. During the album’s creation, Sam became impatient waiting for a drummer and picked up the sticks himself to add a less is more dynamic that glues his ideas together neatly.

With other musical commitments; Benjamin Francis Leftwich tour manager and guitar tech, being half of The Sorry Kisses, recording fellow Sorry Kisser, Hayley Hutchinson’s, solo albums and working on the forthcoming Nine Black Alps record, Sam worked on these songs quickly to keep their spirit alive. Awakening at 7am to complete a new tune before 10am, you can almost smell the fresh pot of tea brewing and the morning sunlight poking through the windowpanes on Everyone Know It, Scarecrow and Insects In My Blood. These stories of solitary figures, offer a poetic calm and snapshot at a man at peace with his work.

After nine tracks of acoustic originals splattered with psychedelic electric guitars and droney but melodic waltzes, think Beck and Faust trying out do each other, Sam’s direction is complete with final track, In Love. Added in demo form from an earlier session as he couldn’t replicate the same feeling again, it’s a fitting climax with swirling vocal melodies and lullaby glow of wisdom with the line “Everyone can see how I happy I can be in love”.

Remembering how hard Sam works on various projects, it is amazing to hear him committed and creatively at ease. The Edge Of Nowhere is the ever-open door for the masses to step inside the quirky world of a majestic English and acoustic emporium.