Samiam are the most underrated punk/pop-punk band of the nineties. Period. They were writing songs that were packed with rock n’ roll riffs, hooks and impactful lyrics at the same time as Green Day, and were able to transverse between dark-tinged emo (“As We’re Told”) and upbeat, ska-tinged pop numbers (“She Found You”). While they have never been as big as some of their piers, their albums have always been welcome, cohesive collections, and as we predicted in our Most Anticipated Albums of 2022 list, they have a new one on the way after eleven long years.
And we just got the first single. And damn it if it isn’t as great as we had hoped. “Lights Out Little Hustler” (fantastic title, btw) doesn’t waste a beat getting right into energized guitar riffs and melodic, harmonized vocals. The lyrics surgically delve into a disconnected relationship (“What makes you so hard for me to find when you’re right by my side. I look for you everyday, always something in the way.”), with the band’s signature evocative vocals powering the track with an emotional fire.
Listen to the new track here, and join us in welcoming back these punk legends.
The Indy Review 