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3*
First from this Bracknell nouveau folkie
Formerly a member of indie-rock hopefuls The Volt, 24-year-old Brookes relocated to London a couple of years ago to reinvent himself as an acoustic singer-songwriter. What sets him apart from dozens of nouveau folksy types playing suburban pubs is his voice – a lovely, soaring Jeff Buckley tenor – and his mastery of fingerpicking guitar. His songs are occasionally anonymous, but most impressive when they combine the two. “The Design” is a nod to Davey Graham-style folk baroque. “Travelling Man” harks back to ancient traditional song and “Glass House” sounds a little bit like Led Zeppelin in their mystical and bucolic pomp. John Lewis - Uncut
3*
Folk-rooted debut from wistful young troubadour.
Offering introspective song-writing of the kind you might find in a festival tent at 1pm on a Sunday, the debut album from 24-year-old gilder Sam Brookes is a pleasant enough meander through acoustic folk-blues melancholy. His influences are impeccable – Tim Buckley, Ber Jansch, Nick Drake, – and he generates an engaging sense of cosmic wonder on Doors and Like a Butterfly. However, in an overcrowded field of singer-songwriters – the nu-folk scene is hardly suffering from a dearth right now – with their hearts on their sleeves, it’s hard to hear the distinctive pulse that might set Brookes apart. VICTORIS SEGAL - Q Magazine
Breaking Act
Who is he?
A singer-songwriter from Bath, Brookes is timing his run nicely: a folk troubadour whose work has clear echoes of John Martyn and more recently, Laura Marling, Noah and The Whale and Mumford & Sons. His beautiful self-titled debut album arrive on the same tide that has swept Ed Sheeran and Ben Howard into contention. Like the latter in particular, Brookes’s chances won’t be hurt by his photogenic good looks. Musically, he excels at propulsive, narratively rich folk, delivered in a soaring, clear-as-a-ball singing voice that make every word of his evocative, detailed lyrics count. There is scarcely a shortage currently of pin-sharp, bucolic folk artists, but Brookes claims a deserved place at the forefront of this still-vibrant movement.
DC - Sunday Times
Discography
Sam Brookes (Album 2011) - Helium Records
In Weeks (Single, 2011) - Helium Records
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Bio
Sam Brookes has toured all over the UK, playing gigs in bars, clubs, and festivals as well as shows with Scott Matthews, Jake Morley and Cherry Ghost, and toured with Ray Davies who dubbed him “absolutely amazing”. He has also become something of an impresario on the burgeoning London folk scene, curating “The Unplugged Sessions”, a fortnightly club night in the London pub, which has featured performances from the man himself and fellow travelers Pete Roe, Lucy Rose, Hot Feet and Emily & The Woods.
His eponymously titled debut album, was released in August 2011 and featured eight stream of consciousness gems that Sam has honed to a fine point, beautifully realised by producers Chris Hughes (Tears For Fears, Robert Plant, Paul McCartney) and Mark Frith (Electric Soft Parade, Tom McRae).
Sam plays most of the guitars and sings magnificently and on one or two songs brings in a supporting cast including Raven Bush and Liam Magill from Syd Arthur. The songs are about growing up, drinking, women, friendship, drugs, fathers & sons, travelling, fear, joy, love and …a butterfly.
With all this experience behind him, Sam is already an accomplished musician and performer with an emerging depth and maturity that increasingly shows in his writing. His finely crafted songs, immaculate phrasing and beautifully modulated delivery reach easily beneath the skin of his audience. The magical space he creates and the elasticity of his writing and playing have the echoes and jazz arches of giants like John Martyn and Tim Buckley who he includes as his influences along with Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Laura Marling.
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