Trips is the first
Samiam album in five years, and despite the hiatus -- and despite the fact that the band has been together for over 20 years -- very little has changed. Their 2011 album has a sound akin to
Foo Fighters’ self-titled debut and
Sugar’s
File Under: Easy Listening, playing just like an alternative rock/punk-pop hybrid from the ‘90s. Like
Samiam's career highlight, 1994’s
Clumsy, this album is a slick and refined outing, full of straightforward, sweet melodies, yearning lyrics, and energetic riffs in an upbeat tempo.
Iggy Pop/
Green Day producer
Chris Dugan recorded
Trips onto 2" tape at
Green Day's personal studio Jingletown in San Francisco, California, and this “back to basics” method is a perfect fit for the traditional craftsmanship. The songs “September,” “Crew of One,” and “Magellan” are solid power pop songs that show that
Beebout,
Kennerly,
Loobkoff, Bouchard, and Walker still know how to rock.
Samiam may not have much new to say, but they say it well throughout
Trips. ~ Jason Lymangrover