In 2003, a Canadian singer/songwriter by the name of Sam Roberts released his sophomore album, Brother Down (some consider it his first commercial release). I can't quite recall where or how I discovered the album, but I remember finding myself a fan of what Roberts was doing. Brother Down was nothing groundbreaking, but the songs were well-written and Roberts' lyrics had a wit about them -- nothing over the top, but definitely something that conveyed he was a thinking man, an observer of the little things in life.
Fast forward eight years (!), and the Sam Roberts Band are set to release their fourth studio album entitled Collider. The album marks the first time Roberts is releasing an effort under "Sam Roberts Band," but certainly not the first to feature longtime members Dave Nugent (lead guitar), Eric Fares (keyboard, guitar), James Hall (bass), and Josh Trager (drums). The 13-track effort was recorded to tape and features guest appearances by Elizabeth Powell (Land Of Talk), percussionist Ben Massarella (Califone), and woodwind player Stuart D. Bogie (Antibalas). Bogie's contribution is clearly evident in "The Last Crusade," which you can check out below.
Sam Roberts Band - "The Last Crusade"
It starts like a pretty straightforward rock song that plays in the vein of '70s progressive rock, but it morphs into this afropop/afrofunk song with what sounds like an army of woodwinds. It's accessible, but also infectiously wild -- at least in the frame of the song -- thanks to the lead of a saxophone.
