If Memory Serves Us Well (St. Valentine Records)

deathofsamantha.com

This veteran Cleveland post-punk group disbanded in 1990 but decided to revisit its old songs and re-record them live in the studio before a 2011 reunion show. That turned out to be a good decision. Album opener “Coca-Cola and Licorice” has the same fierceness as the original, but it also sounds a bit more polished (20 years of experience will do that). The simmering “Now It’s Your Turn (To Be a Martyr)” features a great blues guitar riff courtesy of guitarist Doug Gillard. John Petkovic’s gruff vocals evoke Goth rocker Nick Cave. The guys plan to record a new studio album this year. Given the energy that comes across on this 18-song album, it should be a doozy.

This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2014.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.

One reply on “Regional Beat: Death of Samantha”

  1. The recording is the studio rehearsal for the reunion show. The in-store release date is March 3. The 1985 album release – “Strungout On Jargon” – has a title that summed up the entire 1980s.

Comments are closed.