Since successfully unleashing her debut album on the world aged just 19, Oklahoma-born Samantha Crain has always been known for her timeless tones and astute lyricism. Now, on fifth album You Had Me At Goodbye, Samantha packs even more of a punch with an uplifting modern pop surprise.

Written over 4 months at the back end of winter whilst at home in Norman, Oklahoma, You Had Me At Goodbye was penned whilst Samantha was working shifts at a pizza place to save up money for touring, recording, paying bills, and as a self-confessed ‘film nerd,’ binge watching movies.

Where many songwriters will drown their sorrows at the bar, Samantha’s music provides instant relief. A playful and lively balance of sweet balladry and taught experimental art-punk spirit, You Had Me at Goodbye talks from the head and heart whilst punching from the gut. Samantha’s true strength lies in her self-awareness and retaining a sense of responsibility towards the listener. From adjusting her writing techniques, purposely blurring the lines for interpretation to prevail, to the squelchy jazz tropes of ‘Smile When’, ‘Wise One’ or the freewheeling ‘Antiseptic Greeting’ about the phenomenon of “resting bitch face,” each song is astute but full of fun.

You Had Me At Goodbye also features a new traditional song, ‘Red Sky, Blue Mountain,’ which Samantha wrote in her native Choctaw language. Gliding along like clouds floating above the land, she turned to her long-time friend Dora Wickson to assist with its translation and pronunciation, capturing both the sound of the Choctaw people, and through Samantha’s seductive vocal delivery, the signature of an artist proud of her roots. You Had Me At Goodbye is released on 23rd March 2017.

8.30pm – A Dyjecinski
9.30pm Samantha Crain