As much as I enjoy modern pop these days - certainly, the music of the past four years is far better than the previous ten - the one complaint I have had is that there is a severe lack of authentic singer-songwriters. No, friends, I’m not talking about your Ed Sheeran types; rather, I’m talking about hard-boiled rootsy types like Tom Waits, who as soon as he started singing you knew you were going to hear quite the tale, set to music. Despite (or perhaps because of) his “just drank battery acid and smoked asbestos” vocals, Waits was still able to command a legion of devoted fans (including this reviewer) who lapped it up as a thirsty kitten does with milk. Thankfully, the newest track from Said Sara, “Same”, takes all of Waits’s dynamism and mixes it with outstanding vocals that would appeal to just about everyone while still retaining all of the grit.
Said Sara is the brainchild of veteran rock musician David Benson, who got his start playing punk and metal, which might sound like anathema to fans of either genre but personally sounds quite intriguing. Benson’s plaintive yet emotional vocals fit the sparse acoustic backdrop perfectly and convey genuine emotion in such a way that you feel like the talented multi-instrumentalist is singing directly in front of you. The switch to a higher register around 2:17 (and then in harmony with his lower register soon thereafter) adds even more gravitas to the proceedings.
This, my friends, is the very definition of a must-hear song. It is a harbinger of days long past but is all the more memorable for being so. “Same” is one of the rare occasions where you know you’re hearing something special from the very first listen, and afterwards feel enriched from having heard it. Absolutely recommended to the highest degree.
Listen to "Same" on Spotify here -
You can check out Said Sara’s website here: