There is a moment that every fan experiences when they see one of their favorite artists live in concert, a moment of near disbelief. It’s a moment where you realize that this icon, whose music you’ve had on repeat for months, is real, and standing right in front of your very eyes. Of course, you always knew this was the case, but as they say, seeing is believing. More than anything, the fan is just honored to be in the presence of their favorite artist.

It seemed that on the night of January 25 at the Paradise Rock Club, indie artist Samia experienced almost the reverse of this feeling: she was truly and humbly honored to be surrounded by her fans. “Are you real?” she asked the audience in grateful disbelief. “Did my mom pay you to be here?” Indeed, the house was packed with young fans screaming her name, complimenting her outfit and hair, and even tossing her gifts. One of these gifts was a stuffed plush pig, a direct reference to her song “Is There Something In the Movies,” which Samia promised to take care of (unlike the subject of said song). Her continuous gratitude for her fans’ kindness only further fueled their love for her, and contributed to the overall comforting vibe of the night.

Samia faces the crowd at Paradise Rock Club. Photo: Sean Kolczynski

Beyond audience interaction, Samia’s stage presence was quite strong. This was the second stop on her Loving U, Thanking U tour, and it seems that Samia is already pretty comfortable on stage. At the start of the show, she experienced a slight technical glitch with her mic pack that, while clearly bothering her for the first two songs, failed to interfere with her ability to perform in any meaningful way.

Easily at the forefront of Samia’s performance was her outstanding vocal talent. With each song, she completely filled the space with her melodious voice. In comparison to her slightly timid speaking voice, the jump to her singing voice was unreal. It’s abundantly clear that this woman was born to sing, and clearer still that she is fully confident in, and aware of, her ability. This confidence was put on full display in her dancing. In the instrumental sections of all of her songs, she was moving all over the stage. She shook her hips, she skipped around, she even danced with the flowing movements of a ballerina. And above all else, perhaps the strongest part of her performance was her ever-present smile. Whether she was singing a happy song or a sad one, or just talking to the audience, it seemed that her grin never left her face. There’s nothing better than seeing a performance and knowing that the performer is genuinely enjoying it, and that was certainly the case with Samia.

Samia turns up the energy on stage. Photo: Sean Kolczynski

About halfway through the set, Samia surprised the audience by performing a brand new, unreleased track titled “Pour Some Sugar.” Although it’s not clear if this song is part of an upcoming project, it did stand out as different from her current discography. In particular, the sound of the band as a whole seemed to be fuller, with the guitar, bass and keys really sharing more of the spotlight than usual. Of course, this didn’t detract from Samia’s outstanding vocals, which in fact sounded even more powerful when placed on top of a heavier backing such as this one. This tease of new music did exactly what it needed to: it showcased Samia’s growth and range, and left her fans itching for more.

Speaking of the rest of the band, they also brought a great energy to the show. All of them avoided the stereotypical behavior of an uninterested backing band for a vocal performer, actually smiling and dancing reactively with Samia’s movements. They even got their own moment to shine mid-set, when Samia stepped offstage and the four of them sang an endearing cover of Alphaville’s “Forever Young,” prompting an audience-wide sing along.

The rest of the show continued on with the same upbeat energy throughout, with even the section of sad songs doing nothing to mellow the electrified crowd. As the main show came to an end and the band left the stage, the crowd continued to roar, so strong that the pre-encore break only lasted about 60 seconds before the band returned to the stage, this time with the addition of opener Annie DiRusso. The two female leads closed out with “Show Up,” a satisfying conclusion to the night. Samia said her bittersweet goodbyes, but after a show like that, one thing is for sure – she’s got more to show, and she’s not going anywhere.

Samia delivers an exuberant show at Paradise Rock Club

Skegss’ new album comes just in time to brush off the cold from the end of a long winter, and move into the higher energy of spring. 

 brings some upbeat vibes to the table, and reminds us that we are alive in this exciting world. After a year of negativity, this may be just what the doctor ordered.

is Australian surf punk band Skegss’ sophomore release. The three-piece has been in the scene since 2014, originally getting by as the band who would “play anywhere for a hundred bucks and a couple beers.” After that, they consistently released around two singles a year, until their first album 

 was released in 2018. That album was their big break onto the scene, with their popularity reaching beyond their home country and entering the ears of the United States.

Vibe-wise, this release fits cleanly into the sound that Skegss has built themselves on. Surf punk is truly the heart and soul of the band, and is ever present throughout this album. However, Skegss also brings in some country rock this time around, with a good amount of acoustic guitar and up-tempo rhythms to go along with it. By no means is this a “country album,” but instead the sound is sprinkled about to add some flavor, and it really pays off. The final result is a set of songs that could be the backdrop of a campfire, or a summer drive, or skating around under the sunset.

This raw, cathartic tone is supported by the lyrics, and more importantly, by the way in which lead singer Ben Reed delivers them. “Fantasizing” exemplifies this well, as Reed sings about how he is constantly “Fantasizing about the future / Holding onto the front of the past.” The song is about him grappling with that future, the passage of time, and trying not to get too lost in the reflection, but rather the actual moments and memories. Reed belts each word out as if you were hearing his heart itself sing, and this personal, relatable song washes the listener over with a sense of peace and hope. That’s the general gist of most of 

, in fact. Some songs are a touch darker, like “Wake Up,” which carries themes of self doubt and regret. Others are much more positive, like “Sip of Wine,” a love song about the pure joy of being with someone you can’t get enough of. Each song obviously is unique in its own way, but all of them carry a central piece, almost an emotional ingredient, that gives the entire album an overarching sense of life. It’s a reminder of each and every thing that is worth living for, a reason to get up and dance. A reason to remember that every moment of life is precious and worthwhile, something that many of us find ourselves forgetting all too often.

 is a great next step for Skegss, as they shift to a country focus but stick with the rock flair that makes them who they are. A ripsnorter of songs that will be on many a summer playlist this year. This release is a reason to be excited for what Skegss may bring on next, as they continue their navigation into larger releases. And in a year where we all need an energy boost, 

is the perfect release. So have a listen, and make sure you “

Skegss’ ‘Rehearsal’ delivers some much-needed optimism

As a musical artist, releasing an album is not always a straightforward task. There is the struggle of inspiration, the pressure to make something that your fans will appreciate, but isn’t so similar to your previous work that they’ll become bored. It’s a delicate balance between keeping the album interesting while staying within one’s limits. This is all before the process of recording and producing the music is even a factor. For most artists, four or five albums is really the maximum, at which point difficulties such as burnout or boredom start to set in.

It would appear that of Montreal is the exception to this. Since 1997, the group has released an album consistently every 1-2 years, each time providing a work that is fresh and full of momentum. This one is no exception.

 is of Montreal’s 17th release to date, and it undoubtedly succeeds in having a wildly individual sound. All 20 songs on the record feature futuristic, almost non-musical sounds. It’s similar to the hyperpop sound that has recently taken off, with heavy distortion, synth-layered sounds, and other computery sounds extremely present.

However, unlike most hyperpop, these sounds are more carefully interwoven with traditional instrumentation. The slightly dissonant chords, the gentle vocalizations, and the eclectic guitar solos keep the sound semi-grounded in reality. These two tones are interesting enough on their own, but this album is more about a mix of the two, rather than letting one overpower the other. It is this mesh that of Montreal seems to be so masterful at on this album. In doing so, they have not only succeeded in making something different, but furthermore have made a sound that is truly one of a kind – a sound of chaos.

Even the structure of songs feels a bit nonsensical. Time signatures change on the fly. Some tone shifts make it feel like another song started halfway through the first. Many things about the writing do not match typical “correct” standards of Pop Music 101. The tempo is not standard, the chords are not beautiful, nothing about it says “easy listening.” However, that certainly does not take away from its intrigue. In other words, the sound is weird, and little off-putting, but in a way that complements the art, rather than harming it.

Looking at the album art alone, the listener can get a sense of the chaos they are about to listen to. Fever-dream drawings of monsters are the highlight, in front of a lo-fi computer graphics grid, an empty vast world that contrasts sharply with the highly detailed creatures. This visual representation is basically one-to-one with the music of the album. The 20 songs here are discordant, even eerie at times. Nearly each track features cryptic lyrics of darkness – topics include mind control, crucifixion, murder, and radicalization, to name a few.

The song “Aries Equals Good Trash” exemplifies this aspect of unease, as the phrase “I’m here to serve you, I am here to deserve your love” is repeated throughout, almost in a chant-like manner. Many times, the lyrics are sung in a low, emotionless tone, coming to the listener more as a sermon than one’s personal feelings. It is clearly up to the audience to piece together what exactly they are being told. Is this someone’s personal lament? A tale of demonic underworlds? Complete nonsense? of Montreal may not have an answer, but they sure do provide an experience in this hour of listening.

 will bring you into another plane of existence, taking you on a ride of demons and aliens. The album may not be for everyone, but the sheer level of experimentation of new sounds and ideas demands respect. It seems that once again, of Montreal has produced a one-of-a-kind album, creating something that truly has never been heard before. It’s a trip and a half, in the greatest way. We could all use a little more weird, right?