Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar

By Ty Trumbull

It’s been a busy seven months for Samantha Martin. The last time we spoke with her, she was gearing up for a string of residencies at The Drake and beginning to record her new album with The Haggard. Now, the singer beams with pride at the completed disc as the group prepares for its launch party at Lula Lounge.

The self-titled album — the first official collaboration between her and The Haggard, though they’ve been playing live together for nearly four years — puts aside some of the country twang of her solo outing in favour of more rock, soul and even reggae.

But the roots run deep here: despite the disparate elements, every song has a timeless element coursing through its core and, collectively, the tracks channel a hundred years’ worth of music into 13 raucous songs. We caught up with Martin and lead guitarist Mikey McCallum to talk about the release show and the new record.

So how does it feel now that the album’s finally coming out?
SM: It feels good! It’s kind of like getting married a little bit. Like you’re planning the reception.
MM: I never thought of it that way (laughs).

How long was the recording process?
MM: About a week of recording. There were more mixing days of course.

Was there a lot of pre-production?
MM: Yeah, we rehearsed the songs a fair bit so we didn’t have to change that much once we got in there.
SM: It was good knowing what we were going to do when we went in, to know the things that we didn’t want to happen.

Were there any guest musicians?
MM: We got Derek Downham to play some keys, which was awesome, and some back-up singers.
SM: Dani Nash and Alejandra Ribera, and we have these three backup singers: Amoy and Ciceal Levy and Marlene O’Neill. They’ve been singing together since they were teenagers.
MM: That was magical when they came in. They came in and listened to the songs through once, then sang along a little the second time and then went in and did one or two takes and just nailed it. Each song was like that.

So there’s a reggae tune on this record?
MM: Yeah, it’s a Tom Paxton song actually, and we did it reggae-style.

Is that the only cover song?
SM: There’s four cover songs on the record.
MM: Was it a Delroy Wilson version that we did?
SM: Yeah. I went on a Delroy Wilson kick, where I was listening to his records and Youtube-ing his stuff and everything. And he does a version of “Rain From the Sky,” which we do on this record, and he does the reggae tune with Tom Paxton. He does roots-reggae. And then we did a cover of “You Are My Sunshine.” That was just a one-take wonder; just me and the guitar in the booth. I was playing it and the guys said “You should just go in and record that because it should only take one or two takes.” So I went in and that was it. It wasn’t planned ahead of time.

The first record was more solo stuff. Were these songs written more as a band?
SM: Yeah, especially the arrangements. The way we work as a band is that I come with the chords and the lyrics…
MM: ...and then we change it all [laughs].
SM: They’ll say, “that’s too long” or “that’s too short.” Sometimes, I ramble and they cut the fat out of the songs. They make the song into a radio-worthy hit. Hopefully!
MM: Actually, we don’t really have radio in mind when we’re writing. We just want to serve the songs best. It’s not like we have an idea that we need to make it sound like it’ll be on the radio.

Any plans to tour with this?
SM: We’ve already started.
MM: Southern Ontario for March and April.
SM: From Windsor to Montreal. It's a sort-of weekend warrior tour where you head out Friday and Saturday.

So the release show is coming up? There are no opening acts, right?
SM: Nope, it’s just going to be special guests. Johnny Borra [from the Rattlesnake Choir], and Dani Nash is going to sing a couple tunes, Shawn Creamer is going to sing. It’ll be nice because those people don’t get to play with us at smaller shows like Not My Dog.

You’re still playing smaller shows like that?
SM: Yeah, actually Mikey and I are going to do a residency at the Cameron House on Tuesdays in May and June. We’re going to start that after the band tour is done to keep the momentum going.

So what can people expect to hear on this record?
SM: It’s definitely more bluesy than the first one. It’s a bit more rootsy.
MM: There’s no straight-up country songs, which is weird because we like country…. It just worked out that way actually.
SM: I think a big difference is that on the first record, Derek Downham played most of the instruments and there were a few guests — stuff that Derek doesn’t play…
MM: This one was more band-oriented. We’d already been playing for a few years before we recorded this.
SM: So, sonically this one’s a bit more cohesive. And there’s less going on in the songs, there’s a bit more space. Like, we could have put in a horn section but that wouldn’t have served the song.

Samantha Martin & The Haggard are:
Samantha Ma - Post City

By Ty Trumbull

It’s been a busy seven months for Samantha Martin. The last time we spoke with her, she was gearing up for a string of residencies at The Drake and beginning to record her new album with The Haggard. Now, the singer beams with pride at the completed disc as the group prepares for its launch party at Lula Lounge.

The self-titled album — the first official collaboration between her and The Haggard, though they’ve been playing live together for nearly four years — puts aside some of the country twang of her solo outing in favour of more rock, soul and even reggae.

But the roots run deep here: despite the disparate elements, every song has a timeless element coursing through its core and, collectively, the tracks channel a hundred years’ worth of music into 13 raucous songs. We caught up with Martin and lead guitarist Mikey McCallum to talk about the release show and the new record.

So how does it feel now that the album’s finally coming out?
SM: It feels good! It’s kind of like getting married a little bit. Like you’re planning the reception.
MM: I never thought of it that way (laughs).

How long was the recording process?
MM: About a week of recording. There were more mixing days of course.

Was there a lot of pre-production?
MM: Yeah, we rehearsed the songs a fair bit so we didn’t have to change that much once we got in there.
SM: It was good knowing what we were going to do when we went in, to know the things that we didn’t want to happen.

Were there any guest musicians?
MM: We got Derek Downham to play some keys, which was awesome, and some back-up singers.
SM: Dani Nash and Alejandra Ribera, and we have these three backup singers: Amoy and Ciceal Levy and Marlene O’Neill. They’ve been singing together since they were teenagers.
MM: That was magical when they came in. They came in and listened to the songs through once, then sang along a little the second time and then went in and did one or two takes and just nailed it. Each song was like that.

So there’s a reggae tune on this record?
MM: Yeah, it’s a Tom Paxton song actually, and we did it reggae-style.

Is that the only cover song?
SM: There’s four cover songs on the record.
MM: Was it a Delroy Wilson version that we did?
SM: Yeah. I went on a Delroy Wilson kick, where I was listening to his records and Youtube-ing his stuff and everything. And he does a version of “Rain From the Sky,” which we do on this record, and he does the reggae tune with Tom Paxton. He does roots-reggae. And then we did a cover of “You Are My Sunshine.” That was just a one-take wonder; just me and the guitar in the booth. I was playing it and the guys said “You should just go in and record that because it should only take one or two takes.” So I went in and that was it. It wasn’t planned ahead of time.

The first record was more solo stuff. Were these songs written more as a band?
SM: Yeah, especially the arrangements. The way we work as a band is that I come with the chords and the lyrics…
MM: ...and then we change it all [laughs].
SM: They’ll say, “that’s too long” or “that’s too short.” Sometimes, I ramble and they cut the fat out of the songs. They make the song into a radio-worthy hit. Hopefully!
MM: Actually, we don’t really have radio in mind when we’re writing. We just want to serve the songs best. It’s not like we have an idea that we need to make it sound like it’ll be on the radio.

Any plans to tour with this?
SM: We’ve already started.
MM: Southern Ontario for March and April.
SM: From Windsor to Montreal. It's a sort-of weekend warrior tour where you head out Friday and Saturday.

So the release show is coming up? There are no opening acts, right?
SM: Nope, it’s just going to be special guests. Johnny Borra [from the Rattlesnake Choir], and Dani Nash is going to sing a couple tunes, Shawn Creamer is going to sing. It’ll be nice because those people don’t get to play with us at smaller shows like Not My Dog.

You’re still playing smaller shows like that?
SM: Yeah, actually Mikey and I are going to do a residency at the Cameron House on Tuesdays in May and June. We’re going to start that after the band tour is done to keep the momentum going.

So what can people expect to hear on this record?
SM: It’s definitely more bluesy than the first one. It’s a bit more rootsy.
MM: There’s no straight-up country songs, which is weird because we like country…. It just worked out that way actually.
SM: I think a big difference is that on the first record, Derek Downham played most of the instruments and there were a few guests — stuff that Derek doesn’t play…
MM: This one was more band-oriented. We’d already been playing for a few years before we recorded this.
SM: So, sonically this one’s a bit more cohesive. And there’s less going on in the songs, there’s a bit more space. Like, we could have put in a horn section but that wouldn’t have served the song.

Samantha Martin & The Haggard are:
Samantha Ma - Post City

Born in Edmonton and raised in rural Ontario, Toronto-based alt-country roots-rocker Samantha Martin is a talented songwriter who refuses to keep all her eggs in one basket. On her second full length, Martin mimics the Easter Bunny by painting a baker's dozen of those eggs in totally different colours.

Samantha Martin and the Haggard is a compelling exercise in diversity with elements of Stonesy rock 'n' roll, '50s slow dances, gospel, country and western, rockabilly, reggae (a cover of The Last Thing on My Mind) and Mississippi cotton pickin' delta blues on three of the disc's finest moments: Dark Angel, Six White Horses and a raw, heartbreakingly sparse arrangement of You Are My Sunshine. Meanwhile lead guitarist Mikey McCallum does a little shining himself, especially on Heavy Load.

Martin's seasoned soulful rasp sometimes soothes but almost always inspires and is destined to only get better with time. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

-- Bruce Leperre - Winnipeg Free Press

Born in Edmonton and raised in rural Ontario, Toronto-based alt-country roots-rocker Samantha Martin is a talented songwriter who refuses to keep all her eggs in one basket. On her second full length, Martin mimics the Easter Bunny by painting a baker's dozen of those eggs in totally different colours.

Samantha Martin and the Haggard is a compelling exercise in diversity with elements of Stonesy rock 'n' roll, '50s slow dances, gospel, country and western, rockabilly, reggae (a cover of The Last Thing on My Mind) and Mississippi cotton pickin' delta blues on three of the disc's finest moments: Dark Angel, Six White Horses and a raw, heartbreakingly sparse arrangement of You Are My Sunshine. Meanwhile lead guitarist Mikey McCallum does a little shining himself, especially on Heavy Load.

Martin's seasoned soulful rasp sometimes soothes but almost always inspires and is destined to only get better with time. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

-- Bruce Leperre - Winnipeg Free Press

Because bars were banned in the Junction until 1997, the west end neighbourhood has developed and gentrified a lot slower than much of the rest of the city, but it's been catching up dramatically over the last few years.

And with the opening of new bar the 3030, the area now boasts a decent live music venue as well, which feels long overdue.

To celebrate the opening night weekend, Tim Perlich (former NOW music writer and the man behind the Perlich Post music blog) hosted a record release party for gritty Detroit rhythm and blues legend Andre Williams' new album Night And Day (which features Toronto country punks the Sadies as his backing band).

Williams himself will be swinging through Toronto soon enough as part of NXNE, so the release party featured three local acts covering his songs to pay tribute to the eccentric singer.

One-man-blues-band Bradleyboy Mac Arthur kicked off the night with a set of greasy minimalist blues as the club filled up, using an old suitcase in place of a bass drum and keeping a hi-hat going with his other foot. Samantha Martin and the Haggard took the stage next, and quickly grabbed the club's attention with her big rich voice.

While usually associated with Toronto's roots rock scene, her sound feels as rooted in early R&B as it does in rockabilly.

After her impressive performance, the raw trashy garage rock of Pow Wows felt almost mellow in comparison. Good beginning to a promising new live music venue.

@benjaminboles
- NOW Magazine

Because bars were banned in the Junction until 1997, the west end neighbourhood has developed and gentrified a lot slower than much of the rest of the city, but it's been catching up dramatically over the last few years.

And with the opening of new bar the 3030, the area now boasts a decent live music venue as well, which feels long overdue.

To celebrate the opening night weekend, Tim Perlich (former NOW music writer and the man behind the Perlich Post music blog) hosted a record release party for gritty Detroit rhythm and blues legend Andre Williams' new album Night And Day (which features Toronto country punks the Sadies as his backing band).

Williams himself will be swinging through Toronto soon enough as part of NXNE, so the release party featured three local acts covering his songs to pay tribute to the eccentric singer.

One-man-blues-band Bradleyboy Mac Arthur kicked off the night with a set of greasy minimalist blues as the club filled up, using an old suitcase in place of a bass drum and keeping a hi-hat going with his other foot. Samantha Martin and the Haggard took the stage next, and quickly grabbed the club's attention with her big rich voice.

While usually associated with Toronto's roots rock scene, her sound feels as rooted in early R&B as it does in rockabilly.

After her impressive performance, the raw trashy garage rock of Pow Wows felt almost mellow in comparison. Good beginning to a promising new live music venue.

@benjaminboles
- NOW Magazine

About 5 years ago I chanced upon an energetic young gal getting up at an Open Stage late night at the Ontario Council of Folk Festival Conference (OCFF) held in Ottawa and within one song you could tell her solid vocals had impressed a roomful of veterans. When you notice a sudden silence in the room, where people have stopped talking to pay attention to who’s singing, you know there’s something special there.

Canadian icon Ken Whiteley was hosting that evening and was impressed enough to call her at a later date to invite her to perform at one of his now legendary Sunday Gospel Brunch shows at the wonderful Hugh’s Room in Toronto. I heard her many times over the next few years at subsequent OCFF Conferences as she played solo in a multitude of showcase rooms and each time she impressed with her songwriting but even more her natural vocals, which could cross genres from country, gospel, blues to R&B, roots or good ol’ 50's rock & roll with ease.

I’m speaking of Edmonton born, Lion’s Head, ON raised Samantha Martin who now hails from Toronto. Samantha Martin and her band The Haggard played recently at O’Reilly’s Pub in Perth and won over the crowd in short order. They were on their way to Wakefield’s Black Sheep the next evening, out promoting their new self titled disc Samantha Martin & the Haggard and I have to tell you, even as tired as I was after a long work week, they took my interest and kept it for the night.

The CD was co-produced by the band and John Dinsmore (multi-instrumentalist with Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Harmer and NQ Arbuckle) and is a real nice mix of styles both in her own nine songs and four covers of diverse artists like Tom Paxton, Burt Bacharach / Hal David and the Staples Singers. From growling Janis Joplin, sentimental Patsy Cline or heartful, soulful Lucinda Williams, she has an innate ability to make others’ songs respectfully her own.

You can hear her musical influences as her vocal strength captivates. It’s one thing to have a loud, strong voice but knowing how to work it makes the difference. It’s so much more than just hitting the notes. To see this young, pushin’ 5-foot, cowboy boot-wearin’ chanteuse and then hear the smokey, whiskey and honey vocals she exudes is definitely what raises the bar for this group… impressive. I can’t help but think of Etta James, Mavis Staples or Bonnie Raitt but I hate to compare cuz Samantha holds her own.

The Haggard are made up of Mikey McCallum (veteran of country influenced Kensington Hillbillies) on guitars and backing vocals, Greg Sweetland on bass and Pete Lambert on drums and backing vocals. They showed their professional quality from the first note, playing slightly less than the usual ‘loud’ and, each in their understated way, keeping Samantha’s vocals up front and driving the sound. The added harmonies sweeten the mix as naturally as Sam’s voice offers, not fancy, just practical and pleasing.

The Haggard boys give just enough to sweeten the taste, like some wine in a stew. I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge Samantha’s guitar work which also adds to the overall sound, whether strummin’ or slide. The timeless arrangements impress as well. They make noticeable and pleasing use of minor keys and sevenths to add to the songs mood… again raising the bar from usual regime to being sought after entertainers.

As I listened through their sets I must say their own material caught my ear as much as the covers they offered like John Prine’s ‘Angel from Montgomery’, The Band’s ‘Ophelia’ and ‘The Weight’ and Credence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Green River’ and ‘Proud Mary’. Their own rockin’ ‘New Kind of Blue’ or the ballad ‘Where I Went Wrong’ definitely hold their own, leading fingers toward the repeat button.

Samantha Martin has proven to be the real deal. From those glimpses five years ago to the quality product offered now shows how hard this lady has been working. I encourage you to seek her out next time you get the chance. A definitely pleasing listening experience. - Roots Music Canada

About 5 years ago I chanced upon an energetic young gal getting up at an Open Stage late night at the Ontario Council of Folk Festival Conference (OCFF) held in Ottawa and within one song you could tell her solid vocals had impressed a roomful of veterans. When you notice a sudden silence in the room, where people have stopped talking to pay attention to who’s singing, you know there’s something special there.

Canadian icon Ken Whiteley was hosting that evening and was impressed enough to call her at a later date to invite her to perform at one of his now legendary Sunday Gospel Brunch shows at the wonderful Hugh’s Room in Toronto. I heard her many times over the next few years at subsequent OCFF Conferences as she played solo in a multitude of showcase rooms and each time she impressed with her songwriting but even more her natural vocals, which could cross genres from country, gospel, blues to R&B, roots or good ol’ 50's rock & roll with ease.

I’m speaking of Edmonton born, Lion’s Head, ON raised Samantha Martin who now hails from Toronto. Samantha Martin and her band The Haggard played recently at O’Reilly’s Pub in Perth and won over the crowd in short order. They were on their way to Wakefield’s Black Sheep the next evening, out promoting their new self titled disc Samantha Martin & the Haggard and I have to tell you, even as tired as I was after a long work week, they took my interest and kept it for the night.

The CD was co-produced by the band and John Dinsmore (multi-instrumentalist with Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Harmer and NQ Arbuckle) and is a real nice mix of styles both in her own nine songs and four covers of diverse artists like Tom Paxton, Burt Bacharach / Hal David and the Staples Singers. From growling Janis Joplin, sentimental Patsy Cline or heartful, soulful Lucinda Williams, she has an innate ability to make others’ songs respectfully her own.

You can hear her musical influences as her vocal strength captivates. It’s one thing to have a loud, strong voice but knowing how to work it makes the difference. It’s so much more than just hitting the notes. To see this young, pushin’ 5-foot, cowboy boot-wearin’ chanteuse and then hear the smokey, whiskey and honey vocals she exudes is definitely what raises the bar for this group… impressive. I can’t help but think of Etta James, Mavis Staples or Bonnie Raitt but I hate to compare cuz Samantha holds her own.

The Haggard are made up of Mikey McCallum (veteran of country influenced Kensington Hillbillies) on guitars and backing vocals, Greg Sweetland on bass and Pete Lambert on drums and backing vocals. They showed their professional quality from the first note, playing slightly less than the usual ‘loud’ and, each in their understated way, keeping Samantha’s vocals up front and driving the sound. The added harmonies sweeten the mix as naturally as Sam’s voice offers, not fancy, just practical and pleasing.

The Haggard boys give just enough to sweeten the taste, like some wine in a stew. I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge Samantha’s guitar work which also adds to the overall sound, whether strummin’ or slide. The timeless arrangements impress as well. They make noticeable and pleasing use of minor keys and sevenths to add to the songs mood… again raising the bar from usual regime to being sought after entertainers.

As I listened through their sets I must say their own material caught my ear as much as the covers they offered like John Prine’s ‘Angel from Montgomery’, The Band’s ‘Ophelia’ and ‘The Weight’ and Credence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Green River’ and ‘Proud Mary’. Their own rockin’ ‘New Kind of Blue’ or the ballad ‘Where I Went Wrong’ definitely hold their own, leading fingers toward the repeat button.

Samantha Martin has proven to be the real deal. From those glimpses five years ago to the quality product offered now shows how hard this lady has been working. I encourage you to seek her out next time you get the chance. A definitely pleasing listening experience. - Roots Music Canada

By Kerry DooleThe first thing that hits you is the voice. Samantha Martin's is a force of nature, one of those voices that grabs you by the throat while causing the hairs on the back of your neck to tingle. The likes of her friend Serena Ryder and Janis Joplin come to mind as reference points. Further listens to this compelling second album by the Toronto, ON-based Martin reveal that she is a hell of a songwriter also. Nine strong originals are nestled alongside four covers. To these ears, the reggae-ified version of the much tackled "The Last Thing On My Mind" doesn't quite work, but that's a rare miss. Martin has a refreshing disregard for genre pigeonholing and the numbers here cover blues, gospel, country and early rock'n'roll territory. She is very ably assisted by her versatile and tight band, the Haggard, featuring one former (Greg Sweetland) and two current members (Pete Lambert and Mikey McCallum) of the Kensington Hillbillies. Derek Downham (the Beauties) adds keyboards, while backing vocals by the likes of Amoy and Ciceal Levy, and Alejandra Ribera add to the full-blooded sound of most of the cuts. John Dinsmore (NQ Arbuckle) co-produced with the group at his Lincoln County Social Club studio, keeping things sounding fresh and unforced. The album gains momentum as it progresses, ending with two knockout tracks. The gospel-infused Martin original "Six White Horses" possesses dramatic power and is followed by a gorgeous, one-take, sparse version of "You Are My Sunshine." This truck driver's daughter is the real deal.
(Dollartone) - Exclaim!

By Kerry DooleThe first thing that hits you is the voice. Samantha Martin's is a force of nature, one of those voices that grabs you by the throat while causing the hairs on the back of your neck to tingle. The likes of her friend Serena Ryder and Janis Joplin come to mind as reference points. Further listens to this compelling second album by the Toronto, ON-based Martin reveal that she is a hell of a songwriter also. Nine strong originals are nestled alongside four covers. To these ears, the reggae-ified version of the much tackled "The Last Thing On My Mind" doesn't quite work, but that's a rare miss. Martin has a refreshing disregard for genre pigeonholing and the numbers here cover blues, gospel, country and early rock'n'roll territory. She is very ably assisted by her versatile and tight band, the Haggard, featuring one former (Greg Sweetland) and two current members (Pete Lambert and Mikey McCallum) of the Kensington Hillbillies. Derek Downham (the Beauties) adds keyboards, while backing vocals by the likes of Amoy and Ciceal Levy, and Alejandra Ribera add to the full-blooded sound of most of the cuts. John Dinsmore (NQ Arbuckle) co-produced with the group at his Lincoln County Social Club studio, keeping things sounding fresh and unforced. The album gains momentum as it progresses, ending with two knockout tracks. The gospel-infused Martin original "Six White Horses" possesses dramatic power and is followed by a gorgeous, one-take, sparse version of "You Are My Sunshine." This truck driver's daughter is the real deal.
(Dollartone) - Exclaim!