Samiam - Whatever's Got You Down

Samiam, since 1989, has churned out music that stays constant in its tones and emotion, even though the common genre nomenclature has changed considerably. From punk to indie, indie to emo, from New Red Archives to Hopeless Records, Samiam has made heartfelt and thoughtful punk rock best suited to college radio airwaves. On their latest release, Whatever’s Got You Down, released six years after Astray, the band maintain their stride and continue to draw comparisons to Jawbreaker and Hot Water Music. The record, however, is at its best when they break those conventions, like the Hum-influenced “Come Home”, and at its worst with heavy-handed, dew-eyed mopefests like “Do You Want to Be Loved”. [www.gosamgo.com]