Recorded at Zebra Ranch Studio by Luther Dickinson, ‘Belle of the West’ sees singer/guitarist Samantha Fish deliver eleven tracks of evocative blues with all the passion and conviction that we’ve come to expect from an artist who has met with the approval of blues legend Buddy Guy. Since her 2009 live album, ‘Live Bait’ (which captured the attention of Ruf Records), Fish has released five studio albums, as well as a number of live albums, with ‘Belle of the West’ being the second full-length release in just eight months. If the pace is breath-taking, there is no corresponding drop in quality, and ‘Belle of the west’ captures the immense promise of a 19th century America, populated by vivid characters scattered across an imposing landscape.
With its fife and swampy guitar work, ‘American Dream’ is a surprising opener that makes fantastic use of traditional instruments, conjuring up images of a pre-industry landscape, lit by campfires and dreams. Throughout, Samantha’s voice is a thing of smoky wonder, full of soul and perfectly suited to the deft arrangement of the piece. The dark, fireside vibe is maintained on ‘Blood in the water’, a slow-paced tune beautifully enhanced by the sweep of the violin and layered backing vocals. The acoustic lament of ‘need you more’ is redolent of heart break, the somnolent pace allowing plenty of space for the instruments to range at will, whilst Samantha’s lovely voice takes centre stage. Musically upbeat, the soulful ‘cowtown’, captures the hope and the despair of living on the poverty line, always trying to snare a job and always finding it just out of reach. Closing the first half of the album, ‘Daughters’ sees Sharde Thomas excel on the drums, the inventive percussion helping to propel the dusty, careworn characters of the narrative ever forward upon their journey.
With a taut rhythm, ‘Don’t say you love me’ is a powerful assertion of independence worthy of Janis Joplin, Samantha producing the album’s most powerful vocal yet. Sitting right at the heart of the album, it is a near perfect track, and it flashes by in an instant. A short, folky number, ‘Belle of the west’ (written by) James Mathus has a light country touch to it that brings, unbidden to the mind, images of old homesteads. Heading right back to her roots with an R L Burnside cover, ‘poor black mattie’ (feat. Lightnin’ Malcom), is a delight, the shuffle of the drums and the dusty guitar work neatly sweetened by the violin whilst the the vocal interplay between Lightnin’ and Samantha is wonderfully spontaneous. Another album highlight, ‘no angels’ has a tough, delta stomp to it that gets the feet moving and the fingers moving, whilst ‘nearing home’ (feat. and written by Lillie Mae) is a poignant country tune that captures a similar vibe to Neil Young’s excursions into the genre. The album comes to an end with ‘gone for good’, preceded by a snippet of studio dialogue that captures the live nature of the song. A fast-paced finale, it brings the album to a suitably raucous close and you can imagine the smiles on the faces of the band as they laid this one down.
Young musicians such as Samantha Fish, prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the blues is in good hands, and whilst we may mourn the passing of the old guard, the genre remains as healthy as ever. ‘Belle of the West’ really is an astonishing album, not least because it does so much to conjure up its own unique world. An accomplished guitarist, Samantha always utilises her talent to further the song, and ‘Belle of the West’ offers up eleven, story-driven tracks that truly evoke the spirit of an America that often seems to have been lost to the ravages of modernity. A refreshing and inventive album, ‘Belle of the West’ is a marvellous piece of work that only gets better with repeated listens. An absolute gem. 9
