Samantha

Samantha is not a mononymous singer, but a
Brooklyn punk trio with dudes named Mike, Alex
and Gabe. Maybe you've caught one of their recent
gigs, like with Week of Wonders or with White
Mystery and Dead Stars. Their new album,
Hourglass Noise, comes out April 21 and we've got
the premiere of its new single "Fight" in this post.
Originally from Chicago, the singer is a dead ringer
for Brendan Kelly of hometown heroes The
Lawrence Arms, and their hard-driving punk isn't
too far removed from that band either. Plus there's
a little Jawbreaker and Get Up Kids in there too.
Check it out below.
Samantha are playing SXSW and have three hometown shows coming up as well. Before they
leave for Austin, they'll play Muchmore's on March 6 with Dead Wrestlers, Pussywolf and Young
Guts; and after returning they'll play an album release party on April 24 at Cameo with Crowd
the Airwaves, Plastiq Passion and Pussywolf (tickets). The following month, they play The Rock
Shop on May 2 with The Tracys, The Thrill Sergeants and Cash Registers (tickets).
Stream "Fight" below... - Brooklyn Vegan

Samantha is a Brooklyn-based trash pop trio with a penchant for loud guitars and harmony. The
band relocated from Chicago about a year ago and has since shared the stage with bands like
Dead Stars, White Mystery and Unlocking the Truth. They’ve played all over NYC including
Cameo, Lit Lounge and the Trash Bar and have hit SXSW twice, with plans to return this year.
Their new album “Hourglass Noise” is set to be released this spring. - Fearless Radio

Brooklyn-based punk-rock trio, Samantha, is
heading to Austin for this year’s SXSW
2015Following the festival, the band will be
officially releasing their sophomore full-length,
Hourglass Noise, on April 21st. The album,
produced by Erik Braund, is the follow-up to
Samantha’s 2012 split-EP, Pussyfight.
During their start in Chicago, the band
explored basic punk rock elements before
quickly establishing a sound all their own.
Abrasive harmonies coupled with driving beats
and melodic bass lines now fuel the band’s
latest material with Savitz and Hoffman providing a solid rhythmic backbone for Borchardt’s
thrashing guitar hooks. Their very first show also doubled as the release for the debut EP Play
Nice, and the band began extensively playing the Chicago scene. After playing larger venues and
developing their unique voice, they decided it was time to lock in their new songs. Samantha
recorded their first full-length, Threat Level Pink, and hit the road to promote the album.
Carrying on that momentum, the band played tirelessly (including stretches at SXSW), engaged
in a national radio campaign which resulted in steady airplay on over 200 radio stations across
the U.S. and Canada, and signed several TV licensing contracts with major networks such as
MTV, VH1, E!, Oxygen, and Fox. Fall of 2012 culminated in the release of their DIY split-EP
Pussyfight and the decision to take root in Brooklyn, NY, where they have been living and
playing ever since, sharing stages with a number of bands, including Unlocking the Truth, Dead
Stars, White Mystery, and Samantha’s sophomore album, Hourglass Noise, out April 21st,
promises to stay true to the band’s honesty and rawness while striving to walk the line between
darkest frustration and white-hot elation. Regarding the new album’s sound, bassist Alex
Hoffman shares, “We were going for a ‘Kim Deal, Kurt Cobain, and R2D2 on a road trip’ kind of
thing. Not sure we ended up there, but the record is awesome.” The songs on Hourglass Noise go
to darker places without dwelling on hopelessness. They go to the ugly places, but then develop a
sense of perspective They‘ve been called post-punk. They’ve been called thrash-pop. Whatever,
you call it, Samantha
Below is a list of where they will be playing during SXSW
3/18 – 4pm – TapeLenders (solo acoustic performance) | 1114 W. 5th Street
3/19 – 10:15pm – Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop | 403 E. 6th Street
3/20 – 9pm – Red Gorilla @ Thirsty Nickel | 325 E. 6th Street
3/21 – 11pm – Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop | 403 E. 6th Street - Lucid Routes

Brooklyn based Samantha have premiered their newest single over at brooklynvegan.com! Check
out the track below, and let us know what you think!
“Fight” is the first single off of Samantha’s sophomore, upcoming full-length, “Hourglass Noise,”
due out April 15th.
Be sure to check out Samantha at this year’s SXSW!
March 18 – TapeLenders (solo acoustic performance)
March 19 – Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop
March 20 – Red Gorilla @ Thirsty Nickel
March 21 – Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop
For more info on Samantha, follow the links below:
Website: samanthanoise.com
Facebook: facebook.com/samanthaisapunk
Instagram: instagram.com/samanthanoise - Melodic Magazine

Record Release show posting - OhMyRockness

93 N6th Street (Between Berry and Wythe)
Brooklyn NY
Directions
Friday, April 24th
7:00pm
Add to Calendar
This event is 21 and over
Samantha (Release Party!)
Samantha is Brooklyn based trash-pop trio with a penchant for loud guitars and harmony. The
band relocated from Chicago about a year ago and has since shared the stage with bands like
Dead Stars, White Mystery and Unlocking the Truth. They’ve played all over NYC including
Cameo, Santos Party House and the Trash Bar and have hit SXSW twice, with plans to return
this year. Their new album “Hourglass Noise” is set to be released this spring. “We were going
for a Kim Deal, Kurt Cobain and R2D2 on a road trip kind of thing. Not sure we ended up there,
but the record is awesome.” - RoundTown

6:48pm
Samantha “Fight”
from Hourglass Noise OTHER (S/R 2015) N - SpinItRon

Samantha (Release Party!)
Apr 24, 2015 at 7:00 PM Lovin' Cup - Get Directions
93 North Sixth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Share on facebookShare on myspaceShare on email
Pricing
$8.00 - $10.00
Description
with Crowd the Airwaves, Plastiq Passion, Pussywolf Samantha is Brooklyn based trash-pop trio
with a penchant for loud guitars and harmony. The band relocated from Chicago about a year
ago and has since shared the stage with bands like Dead Stars, White Mystery and Unlocking the
Truth. Theyve played all over NYC including Cameo, Santos Party House and the Trash Bar and
have hit SXSW twice, with plans to return this year. Their new album Hourglass Noise is set to
be released this spring. We were going for a Kim Deal, Kurt Cobain and R2D2 on a road trip
kind of thing. Not sure we ended up there, but the record is awesome. - ThingsToDoInBrooklyn

Punk-rock trio, Samantha, have announced the release date of their upcoming full-length,
Hourglass Noise. The album, produced by Erik Braund, will be released on April 21st.
The band have also announced that they have a number of upcoming shows, including
performances at this year’s SXSW! Dates can be found below!
3.6 - Brooklyn, NY @ Muchmore’s
3.18 - Austin, TX @ TapeLenders (SXSW)
3.19 - Austin, TX @ Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop (SXSW)
3.20 - Austin, TX @ Red Gorilla @ Thirsty Nickel (SXSW)
3.21 - Austin, TX @ Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop (SXSW)
4.24 - Brooklyn, NY @ Cameo Gallery (Record Release Show)
5.2 - Brooklyn, NY @ Rock Shop - LucyOutLoud

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
Mike: Hey, thanks for having us. We’re pretty good. Just keeping ourselves busy playing a lot of
shows and working on new music. Finding stuff to do indoors, because it’s been pretty frigid in
NYC these last few weeks.
So you guys have an upcoming new album Hourglass Noise – what´s the story behind the title?
Mike: Well, we tossed around a bunch of different titles for the new album before finally settling
on “Hourglass Noise.” That was the one that stuck. We really wanted the album title to reflect
the themes of the music on the record, as well as who we are as a band.
Alex: It’s about looking at a life full of damage and chaos and regrets. Laying it out, sifting
through it and exposing the little pieces that make it valuable.
Mike: For instance, “K-Town” is about being overwhelmed while traversing chaos and noise yet
finding inspiration in all the mess. “Slaughter” is another example. It’s about passions. It’s about
when the thing you love the most or hold the closest becomes the thing you hate the most.
Musically it alternates between delicate and brutal but even at its most brutal you can still find
remnants of the verse.
How was the recording and writing process?
Mike: It was different for me this time around. We had a bit of a lineup change, as Alex joined
the band on bass. You get used to writing a certain way with a group of people and then
something comes along and flips it on its head. But I think it was an amazing and rewarding
experience this time around. “Hourglass Noise” was far more collaborative than anything we had
done in the past. It’s funny, writing so closely with Alex forced me to be a better songwriter.
Prior to this record, I kinda just did whatever the hell I wanted. But Alex and I have a musical
rapport that really forces each of us to step up our game.
Alex: We keep each other from overindulging. Like before the Police broke up you never heard
anybody talking about tantric love.
Mike: As far as recording, that process is always so much fun, while at the same time feeling
tedious at times because you’re just so anxious to hear your songs come to fruition. But we
worked with a good buddy of ours, our producer Erik Braund, of Braund Studios in Brooklyn.
The entire record was recorded over seventeen nights and was such a blast, playing around with
different amps and pedals. Just a lot of noise!
Where did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics?
Mike: Thematically, as I said before, the album goes to darker places, but doesn’t really linger or
dwell on hopelessness. For me, the most interesting place to write is in those ugly places, but
then developing a sense of perspective from living in that space.
lex: When I’m writing music, I focus on movement and creating a story arc with rhythm and
harmony. The lyrics come last, to reinforce what you’ve already made. Mike writes the lyrics and
I’ll just add a line here or there. It’s great because it let’s me focus more on what I’m drawn to.
Mike: I write about things extremely personal to me, but try to do it in a way that lets the listener
insert their own experiences into the song. I want the emotion and intent of what I’m trying to
express to come through, but I don’t want you listen to a song about a day in my life. My goal is
to create a feeling that came from my personal experience, but that you can take and make your
own based on whatever that means to you.
In what way has Chicago influenced this band and therefore your sound?
Mike: Good question. Well, Gabe and I are from Chicago, that’s where we started the band, and I
think that’s where our roots will always be. Chicago has been really good to us, and we have a lot
of great friends in that scene. As far as our sound goes, it’s a big part of the reason we’ve always
been a three piece. The rock n’ roll power trio thing is very classically Midwest. Being in NYC
isn’t all that much different than Chicago. New York just moves a little faster, and never seems to
slow down, which is what I think we needed as a band.
Will you be hitting the road this year?
Mike: Well, we are playing a string of shows in March in Austin, TX during SXSW. And then, we
have plans to tour a bit on the East Coast and Midwest sometime this summer.
Alex: I’ve never been to Chicago so I’m pretty excited check it out.
What’s happening next in Samantha´s world?
Mike: Well, we have a couple local shows coming up here in New York before we hit SXSW in
mid-March. After that, we have our record release show for “Hourglass Noise” at Cameo Gallery
in Brooklyn on April 24th. We are playing with some awesome local bands that are friends of
ours on that bill (Crowd the Airwaves, Pussywolf, and Plastiq Passion), and that’s going to be a
lot of fun. Past that, we are already booked into early summer with shows. We have plans to hit
the road as well as hit the festival circuit here in NYC. We are also already working on new
material for the next EP. - Vents Magazine

Right from the get-go, Samantha lets you know that they are a thrash-punk band. “K-Town” kicks Hourglass Noise off with noisy, in-your-face power, and harmonies that aren’t exactly perfect, but balanced out by well-crafted instrumental hooks. “Push” appears to have more instrumentality brought into it, including the heavy bass that will quickly become a constant on the album, including a great guitar solo with an undeniable punch to it.

The band knows the power of a fade-out, and that’s apparent.

“Slaughter” is aggressive to a degree, just as the title would suggest, but in a more entrancing way. This is more metaphorical, as far as lyrics go. The vocals aren’t exactly incredible as far as technicality goes, but they stand out; they’re different, and would be easy to place, which is what matters most in punk music. Short and to the point, “Haywire,” with its 90’s punk sound that we’ve seen in all mid-late 90’s films, solidifies the feeling that Samantha is more instrumentally talented than they seem to let on initially; more clever, well-developed instrumentals. This is easy to imagine going over well live in a venue with a bunch of teenagers wearing too much eyeliner and donning hair colors only found inside a Crayola-box (believe me, we’ve all been there), as does “Mouse,” which showcases the grit of the band beautifully. With the exception of “FM,” which does consist of great instrumentals and a catchy melody, but vocals that sound very strained, Hourglass Noise seems to improve as it progresses. “Fight” is the track that makes that very clear. It is high energy, almost a musical interpretation of the adrenaline of a literal fight. The vocals contrast that perfectly; showcases Samantha’s true potential with EPIC instrumentals, classic punk-rock vocal styles, and comes across as more confident. It is, hands down, the best song on the album. If the rest of the album flowed as well as this, it would solidify it as a fantastic sampling of this band’s talent.

Samantha finishes off the album with “Inferno.” There is a definite improvement from the beginning of the album to the end, in all aspects. This is a clever ending, both musically and lyrically. It’s an interesting listen that wraps up the overall feeling of the album quite well, sounding like a mashup in some places, with brings forth the meaning of “hourglass noise.”

The band proved to be consistent with energetic, powerful instrumentals, gritty vocals, and experimentation. It’s always interesting to hear a band experiment with their sound, and progress. Hourglass Noise peels back layer after layer, coming across a bit like a mystery: the more pages you turn, the more clues you’ll find.

Hourglass Noise is set for release this April. - Planet Stereo

Samantha is a Brooklyn-based punk rock/trash-pop trio with a penchant for loud guitars and harmony. The band relocated from Chicago about a year ago and has since shared the stage with bands like Dead Stars, White Mystery and Unlocking the Truth. Samantha’s sophomore album, Hourglass Noise, out April 21st, promises to stay true to the band’s honesty and rawness, while striving to further walk that line between the darkest frustration and white-hot elation.

Recently I had the chance to talk with Mike while he transitions through gigs. With the music he makes you’d never expect him to work in finance. We talked about life, music, and other devices. These are our words.

The conversation started off talking about the bands recent relocation to New York from Chicago and the issues that it accrued. Somehow the conversation went to weather. He’s in New York and I’m in Texas. They’re playing SXSW and are expecting a break from the northern weather but we’ve had a funk.

I was actually worried about Austin every time we’ve gone in the past it’s always a nice break from wherever we’re at to go get some of the Texas weather. And the last couple of weeks it’s been like rainy and I think it was gonna snow one day. I’m like “No, Austin is supposed to be our break from this.” Luckily it’s getting back up there.

Yeah, I’ve been noticing that it might be terrible which sucks because I’ve been bragging to people that Texas weather is going to be awesome. You’re gonna have so much fun and then it’s gonna be terrible and then I feel I should be apologizing.

No, it looks like it should be good it might rain but at least the temperature will be alright.

Are you guys playing outside sets or inside?

I don’t think so, but I think we’re inside or inside adjacent. But I might pick up another acoustic set and that might be outside.

I saw your schedule is pretty packed.

Yeah, we’re pretty packed. There is always room to squeeze in a little more. The last week before we go out we usually get, “hey we have two more shows.” Even if we don’t it’s good.

Or are you going to troubadour it and serenade people in line?

Exactly, exactly.

Have you guys done SXSW before?

No, it’s actually our third. We went the first year that we put out our first album and we kinda didn’t know what we were doing. We were like “hey we got offered a slot on the Red Gorilla fest so we went down there and everyone plays like a show.”

So we went down there and played our one show and we have all these other friends from places around the country that played five shows or six shows. So we did a lot of networking while we were there which was good but we totally missed the agenda of “you’re totally supposed to play as much as possible while you’re there.”

The next year we went back and we did four or five shows. Then we moved to New York the drummer and I and we lost our bass player because he’s still in Chicago. The last year was a transition year, he’d fly in for shows and then exited the band but we negotiated to keep him until we got Alex. Who is a sole acquaintance of our former bass player. So that last year was a lot of regrouping as a band because when you’re a three-piece having one of the legs be a brand new leg kind of shakes things up a bit. So we took last year off to write all the music for the new album. Get our feet plugged into the local scene that’s why it made more sense to hold off.

Do you think the inclusion of Alex changed the sound, as in he brought his own flavor instead of just playing the music?

Definitely, Alex allows me as a guitarist to kinda do what I wanted to do. Our old base player was stompier it was a little more from our roots, the punk rock origins that we did. Now Alex creates more of a landscape as far as what he and Gabe do with the rhythm section and it lets me write the way I want to write because we sit and write stuff together. The best way I can describe it is that the first album is what I was trying to do but now with Hourglass Noise, I think I’ve succeeded.

Do you think you’ve found the sound you’re comfortable with?

Yea, it’s not too far off from what we did before. It’s not like we were a completely different sound before, but I don’t want to pigeon hole our sound yet I think we’ve reached our happy place and gelled and where we are now is where I want to continue down.

I was talking to Alex this weekend and he said something I found interesting. He said, ‘The most important thing for us musically is to try not to regurgitate stuff from our influences in the stuff we’re doing. It’s about writing music that we like that doesn’t quite exist yet because if it did exist you could just pop in someone else’s album.

How is the musical environment that surrounds you influential? Say Chicago vs New York City?

I’m torn being from Chicago and Chicago’s home and I love it. The scene there is great. It’s been good to me over the years in various band I’ve been in and I love New York, I’ve been here for a couple years now. I think I’m in a place where I’m kinda a New Yorker but I’m always going to be a Chicagoan but as far as music goes I think that because we have the power rock/ post punk trio thing is a very Midwestern thing, you don’t see much of that. Still we have a very Chicago, Midwest sound and I like that we’ve kept that.

The difference between Chicago and New York is that New York moves faster. There’s a lot going on in Chicago but in New York it’s to the nth degree. And Chicago because the winters are so horrible there are the three months of apathy and not wanting to go to a show while here while it’s cold it never really slows down the way it does in parts of the Midwest. To answer the question we’ve maintained our Midwest, Chicago sound but we’re playing in a place where people pay more attention.

That’s awesome to carry your roots wherever you are.

Check them out below and in Austin if you’re there for SXSW this week. - Punchland

Samantha's gearing up to release their sophomore album, Hourglass Noise, and today we're excited to premiere the video for their raw, emo-influenced single "Fight." Watch above as the Brooklyn trio's studio jam session gets the stop motion treatment.

"'Fight' dances a fine line between triumph and oblivion," vocalist/guitarist Mike Borchardt explains. "Often times, I can't even tell which side of that line I intended the meaning to fall. The song is about how easily one can be completely paralyzed by the thoughts in their own head."

Hourglass Noise is slated for an April 21 release. East coast readers, Samantha will be playing a few New York shows in the coming months. Check out a list of dates below.

SAMANTHA TOUR DATES
Apr. 24 - Cameo Gallery (Record Release Show) - Brooklyn, NY
May 2 - Rock Shop - Brooklyn, NY
May 30 - Bar Matchless - Brooklyn, NY
Jun. 20 - Piano’s - New York, NY
Jun. 27 - The Flat - Brooklyn, NY - PureVolume

Brooklyn-based punk-rock/ thrash-pop trio,
Samantha, premiered their new single “Fight,
first song off the band’s recently announced
sophomore full-length, Hourglass Noise. The
album, produced by Erik Braund, will be
released on April 21st, 2015. Samantha will be
hitting this year’s SXSW, and have a number of
other shows on the horizon.
Samantha is a Brooklyn based trash pop trio
composed of Mike Borchardt (guitar/vocals),
Alex Hoffman (bass/vocals), and Gabe Savitz
(drums). During their start in Chicago, the band
explored basic punk rock elements before quickly
establishing a sound all their own. Abrasive harmonies coupled with driving beats and melodic
bass lines now fuel the band’s latest material with Savitz and Hoffman providing a solid
rhythmic backbone for Borchardt’s thrashing guitar hooks.
Their very first show also doubled as the release for the debut EPPlay Nice, and the band began
extensively playing the Chicago scene. After playing larger venues and developing their unique
voice, they decided it was time to lock in their new songs. Samantha recorded their first fulllength,
Threat Level Pink, and hit the road to promote the album. Carrying on that momentum,
the band played tirelessly (including stretches at SXSW), engaged in a national radio campaign
which resulted in steady airplay on over 200 radio stations across the U.S. and Canada, and
signed several TV licensing contracts with major networks such as MTV, VH1, E!, Oxygen, and
Fox. Fall of 2012 culminated in the release of their DIY split-EP Pussyfight and the decision to
take root in Brooklyn, NY, where they have been living and playing ever since, sharing stages
with a number of bands, including Unlocking the Truth, Dead Stars, White Mystery, and The
Bowery Boys.
Samantha’s sophomore album, Hourglass Noise, out April 21st, promises to stay true to the
band’s honesty and rawness while striving to walk the line between darkest frustration and
white-hot elation. Regarding the new album’s sound, bassist Alex Hoffman shares, “We were
going for a ‘Kim Deal, Kurt Cobain, and R2D2 on a road trip’ kind of thing. Not sure we ended
up there, but the record is awesome.” The songs on Hourglass Noise go to darker places without
dwelling on hopelessness. They go to the ugly places, but then develop a sense of perspective
from living in that space.
Upcoming Shows
Mar 18 TapeLenders (solo acoustic performance) Austin, TX (SXSW)
Mar. 19 Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop Austin, TX (SXSW)
Mar. 19 Rain on 4th Austin, TX (SXSW)
Mar. 20 Red Gorilla @ Thirsty Nickel Austin, TX (SXSW)
Mar. 21 Audiowall Studios Showase @ Rooftop Austin, TX (SXSW)
Apr. 24 Cameo Gallery (Record Release Show) Brooklyn, NY
May 2 Rock Shop Brooklyn, NY
For more information, please visit:
WEBSITE: http://www.samanthanoise.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/samanthaisapunk
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/samanthanoise
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/samanthanoise/
http://ellenwood-ep.com/2015/03/13/samantha-new-track-fight-new-alb - Ellenwood

While out on our very first trip to South By Southwest, we caught up with Brooklyn-based trash
pop trio Samantha for a quick round of Hot Potato Philosophy.
During our hangout sesh with the band, we not only discovered that guys have experienced gun
shots in Chicago and unfortunate pube-filled “street meat” in New York City, but we also found
out that the three Samantha bandmates also had incredible luck with the ladies back in
kindergarten.
To check out what else the guys had to say about SXSW and more, be sure to look above.
Afterwards, make sure to check out their brand new music video for “Flight” here. - The Noise

LA new wavers PANTHAR headline this two day SXSW HEXFEST along with some of the best
in current LA garage rock, postpunk, and electronica XXx
FREE SHOW// 21+// Drink Specials// FREE FRITO PIES <3
Sponsors TBA
THURSDAY
1:15 Mini bear (LA)
2:00 Palehound (MA)
2:45 Samantha (NY)
3:30 The Electric West (LA)
4:15 Deadpanzies (LA)
5:00 Dirty Dishes (LA)
5:45 PANTHAR (LA)
FRIDAY
1:15 MRK (LA)
2:00 Susan (LA)
2:45 Cigarette Bums (LA)
3:30 Chasca (TX)
4:15 Cellars (LA)
5:00 ... - HeyEvent

LA new wavers PANTHAR headline this two day SXSW HEXFEST along with some of the best
in current LA garage rock, postpunk, and electronica XXx
FREE SHOW// 21+// Drink Specials// FREE FRITO PIES <3
Sponsors TBA
THURSDAY
1:15 Mini bear (LA)
2:00 Palehound (MA)
2:45 Samantha (NY)
3:30 The Electric West (LA)
4:15 Deadpanzies (LA)
5:00 Dirty Dishes (LA)
5:45 PANTHAR (LA)
FRIDAY
1:15 MRK (LA)
2:00 Susan (LA)
2:45 Cigarette Bums (LA)
3:30 Chasca (TX)
4:15 Cellars (LA)
5:00 Prom Date (New Orleans)
5:45 PANTHAR (LA) More events at Rain» - GayCities

Rain on 4th, 217 West 4th St. (free)
Hexfest!
1:45 PM – Mini Bear
2:30 PM – Palehound
3:15 PM – Samantha
4:00 PM – The Electric West
4:45 PM – Deadpanzies
5:30 PM – Dirty Dishes
6:15 PM – PANTHAR
Red 7, 611 East 7th St. (RSVP)
Brooklyn Vegan
12:00 PM – Elvis Depressedly
12:45 PM – Emmy The Great
1:30 PM – Basecamp
2:15 PM – Yumi Zouma
3:00 PM – Frog Eyes
3:45 PM – Cancer Bats
4:30 PM – BRONCHO
5:15 PM – METZ - QRO Magazine

Thank god it’s SXSW Friday:
Recommended
[…]
The Thirsty Nickel, 325 East 6th St. (free)
Ernie Ball/Red Gorilla Music Festival
6:00 PM – Against the Clocks
7:00 PM – Burial Boyz
8:00 PM – Skittish
9:00 PM – Samantha
10:00 PM – American Scarecrows
11:00 PM – Juvenile - QRO Magazine

Here are a few videos of a sit down I did a while back with Brooklyn-based band Samantha. - HeyJoeNYC/Concert Blogger

Happy Thursday, ARTISTdirectioners. It's time to rock out, thanks to this song premiere from Samantha for the song "Ghostbot," from Hourglass Noise, out April 21. Who are Samantha? Well, Samantha are a Brooklyn punk rock/thrash pop band, not a girl! So there's that.

But let's talk "Ghostbot," shall we?

"Most bands have fake song names while they're writing. 'Ghostbot' is the only joke name we ended up actually keeping. We liked it so much we actually got a dead robot to sing the harmony on the first half of the choruses," Alex Hoffman, who plays bass/vocals in the band, told us.

That's true. The "working titles" for songs are usually ridiculous and they are quickly cast off and discarded for the "actual" title, which is usually better. We like this title, which was once a working title.

The album release show will take place on April 24 at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn, N.Y., along with other great bands such as Crowd the Airwaves, Super FM, and P***ywolf!

If you are located in the NYC metro region later this month, and you dig this song, why not check out Samantha live?

With that in mind, get your "Ghostbot" on. - Artist Direct

Happy Thursday, ARTISTdirectioners. It's time to rock out, thanks to this song premiere from Samantha for the song "Ghostbot," from Hourglass Noise, out April 21. Who are Samantha? Well, Samantha are a Brooklyn punk rock/thrash pop band, not a girl! So there's that.

But let's talk "Ghostbot," shall we?

"Most bands have fake song names while they're writing. 'Ghostbot' is the only joke name we ended up actually keeping. We liked it so much we actually got a dead robot to sing the harmony on the first half of the choruses," Alex Hoffman, who plays bass/vocals in the band, told us.

That's true. The "working titles" for songs are usually ridiculous and they are quickly cast off and discarded for the "actual" title, which is usually better. We like this title, which was once a working title.

The album release show will take place on April 24 at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn, N.Y., along with other great bands such as Crowd the Airwaves, Super FM and P***ywolf!

If you are located in the NYC metro region later this month, and you dig this song, why not check out Samantha live?

With that in mind, get your "Ghostbot" on. - Artist Direct

March 20th, 2015
1-7PM
This free show will be one you can't miss. More info at their dedicated events page.
FREE SHOW// 21+// Drink Specials// FREE FRITO PIES ♥
THURSDAY
1:45 Mini bear (LA)
2:30 Palehound (MA)
3:15 Samantha (NY)
4:00 The Electric West (LA)
4:45 Deadpanzies (LA)
5:30 Dirty Dishes (LA)
6:15 PANTHAR (LA)
FRIDAY
1:45 MRK (LA)
2:30 Susan (LA)
3:15 Cigarette Bums (LA)
4:00 Chasca (TX)
4:45 Cellars (LA)
5:30 Prom Date (New Orleans)
6:15 PANTHAR (LA)
http://myfreeconcert.com/atx/event/03/20/2015/HEXFEST!-SXSW-Showcase/9959/ - MyFreeConcertNewYork

RedGorilla Music Fest - Handlebar - Day Five (FREE)
Sat. 03/16 | 12:00PM - Sun. 03/17 | 2:00AM @ Handlebar (map)
Event Details
12:00 PM TBA
1:00 PM Patrick Joseph
2:00 PM Nacosta
3:00 PM Prophets & Kings
4:00 PM Justine Dorsey
5:00 PM Ben Baxter Band
6:00 PM Charlene Kaye
7:00 PM Bethesda
8:00 PM Covela
9:00 PM Samantha
10:00 PM Distant Lights
11:00 PM Social Club
12:00 AM DJ
1:00 AM DJ
Check out all of Red Gorilla's 2013 events here!
*RedGorilla Music Fest is not affiliated in any way with SXSW or South By Southwest, Inc.
http://www.2015.do512.com/c/sx2013/event/2013/03/16/redgorilla-music-fest-handlebarday-five-free - Do512

Our very own Peter McCain met up with Samantha during SXSW to talk about girls, their name, and their new album. - Austin Underground

Samantha are often pegged as a punk band.

Sure, the group's roots are in that scene – or derivations, thereof – but there's such a strong pop sensibility, a strong songwriting ethic that it's difficult to simply label them as 'punk'.

Perhaps thrash pop will do. The band's upcoming album 'Hourglass Noise' is billed as 'Kim Deal, Kurt Cobain and R2D2' on a road trip, a quote which displays the group's admirable mixture of on-point influences and self-deprecating humour.

Clash is able to premiere new track 'K-Town' which is seemingly about the feeling of entering New York for the first time.

A sensory overload, the confusion, paranoia and inspiration of a big city hits home...

Check it out now. - Clash Music

Samantha is a Brooklyn-based trash pop trio with a penchant for loud guitars and harmony. The band relocated from Chicago about a year ago and has since shared the stage with bands like Dead Stars, White Mystery and Unlocking the Truth. They’ve played all over NYC including Cameo, Lit Lounge and the Trash Bar and have hit SXSW twice, with plans to return this year.

Their new album “Hourglass Noise” is set to be released this spring - Fearless Radio

New Music Inferno w/ The Karma Killers, Kurt Scobie, Samantha & Beyond Dishonor!


The Karma Killers - Rock band from New Jersey...Debut single "Coming Of Age" out now.Music video out now for the single too...Performing this summer on the Vans Warped Tour 2015..Check out their music, tour dates & more @ www.facebook.com/thekarmakillers

Kurt Scobie - Christian/Gospel singer/songwriter from Blissfield,MI...New EP "Fortress" out now..Check out his music, tour dates & more @ www.kurtscobie.com

Samantha - Post-Punk/Thrash Pop band from Brooklyn,NY...New album "Hourglass Noise" ft. the singles "Fight" & "Ghostbot" out tomorrow...Check out their record release show on April 24th @ Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn,NY..Check out their music, tour dates & more @ www.facebook.com/samanthaisapunk

Beyond Dishonor - Metalcore band from Trenton,NJ...New album "Generations" available now...Playing the TLA in Philadelphia on Weds. April 22nd...Check out their music,tour dates & more @ www.facebook.com/BeyondDishonor - New Music Inferno/ Blog Talk Radio

We caught up with the lovely guys of the band Samantha! Read below to learn about their new record Hourglass Noise, future shows and more!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?
Mike: Trash-pop and post-punk have been thrown around. To me, it's really just rock n'roll. Our sound was definitely born out of punk, and I think that's a really great starting point. However, I never wanted to be simply lumped into that category. We write loud and quick guitar rock. It's heavy and aggressive yet doused in melody. There's also a robots and lasers undercurrent thing in our newest material that makes me really happy. Musically, I like to always remember where I came from, but not necessarily know where I'm going to end up.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOUR MUSIC UNIQUE?
Mike: I'd like to thing that it reminds you of a period of time when rock music still had some balls, but without being retro shtick. We definitely aren't a "throwback to the 90s" band, but I think our music reminds you a bit why that music was so great.

Alex: Also having 4 instruments but only 3 members is different. Being a trio has always been important to us creatively, but we didn't want our keyboards missing from our live show. So that's all triggered thru a pad. It's cool because we still have the creative room a trio has, but there’s more buttons to push and less heads to bump.

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO NAME YOUR BAND SAMANTHA?
Mike: Early on, I think it was a simple play on gender expectations. But I think it may have eventually delved a little deeper than that. For obvious reasons, we can't actually be a girl band. But it's also interesting to not play so hard into the macho-male mentality often found in rock culture. Maybe it dials back any chauvinistic undertones a bit by calling an aggressive rock band by a feminine name? I'm not sure. Personally, I find women who can really rock very sexy. And in New York City a lot of the bands that rock the hardest are made up of some killer female musicians. That's probably why we ended up asking all female-bands to share the bill with us for our record-release show (w/ Pussywolf, Plastiq Passion, and Crowd the Airwaves). It's 3 girl-bands and then Samantha, who are actually 3 dudes.

Alex: They had the name way before I joined the band. One of the first things I told Mike was, “dude, that name sucks.” I mean try doing an internet search for Samantha. But then after awhile it grew on me. Which is weird because it’s usually the opposite. You choose a name and then a year later you hate it. But now it’s a year later and I wouldn’t change it. Maybe that’s the key to finding a good band name. Pick something you think sucks.



CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING ALBUM HOURGLASS NOISE?
Mike: Nuts and bolts, it's our second full-length album being released on April 21st, and we are having the release show on the 24th at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn. We couldn't be more excited about the lineup or album itself.
Thematically, the album definitely goes to darker places, without lingering too long in those ugly corners. For instance, the album's first single "Fight" is about being paralyzed within your own head, and dances a fine between triumph and oblivion. A song like "K-Town" deals with the overwhelming while constantly traversing chaos and noise, yet finding inspiration in all the mess.
Alex: Like a lot of people, the books and movies that hit me the hardest are tragedies. I like action and adventure and all that, but there’s something about a tragedy that gets to me. Seeing a character stretch to the point of breaking exposes more of what it means to be alive than watching somebody hit a home run or kick somebody in the face. Hourglass Noise is about looking at tragedy and exposing the little pieces that make it valuable. But then again the original Robocop is one of my favorite movies so maybe everything I just said is nonsense and the album is about robots hitting home runs and kicking people in the face. But tragically.

WHAT WAS THE RECORDING AND WRITING PROCESS LIKE FOR THE RECORD?
Mike: Hourglass Noise is by far the most collaborative thing we've done. Writing with Alex and Gabe forces me to be a better songwriter for sure. There's just a musical rapport between us that really forces each of us to step up our game individually and as a trio.

Alex: Writing with Gabe is awesome. He doesn’t dance around things and say, “yeah that’s really cool but what if we tried it like this or like that?” He’ll just say, “that sucks you should do something different.” It saves a lot of time. Which is good because me and Mike can talk about a single chord for an hour. And then text about it later.

Mike: As far as recording, most of the writing was finished prior to going into the studio. We wanted to have a clear focus on what we wanted to make before we got started tracking. However, some of the sonic evolution and weird ideas on what worked and what didn't were happy accidents in the studio. That process is always a lot of fun. The entire record was recorded over seventeen nights, and we got to play around with different tones and noises.


WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART ABOUT THE PROCESS?
Mike: I think the hardest part of recording for me is when you're so anxious to hear hear your songs finally come to fruition, some of the process can at times be tedious and frustrating. Luckily, as a band, Gabe, Alex, and I had a clear idea of what we wanted to achieve sonically. And our producer, Erik Braund, kind of speaks our Samantha language and was able to help us get the sounds that were in our heads to become the sounds that came out on the record.

Alex: For me, the hardest part was stopping. I can get pretty obsessed with the details, like spending a whole day tweaking the sound of a keyboard. It definitely helped that Mike tends to be the opposite. That’s not to say he doesn’t care about the details. He just gets really excited about the broader scope of the music, whereas I’m pretty much always trying to figure out little nuances to make it better. There were plenty of times where he pulled me out of the rabbit hole, but he also knows when to just come back later.



ANY TOURS IN YOUR FUTURE?
Mike: Well, we’re playing a string of shows in mid-March in Austin, TX during SXSW. And then we have plans to tour a bit on the East Coast and Midwest sometime this summer.



Alex: We also want to play at CMJ. We’ve never done it but it sounds awesome.


ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?
Alex: Just thanks for having us and we’re super excited about the new album. We’ve started playing most of the new songs live and they’re feeling really good. - City Lights Coverage

Samantha are often pegged as a punk band.

Sure, the group's roots are in that scene – or derivations, thereof – but there's such a strong pop sensibility, a strong songwriting ethic that it's difficult to simply label them as 'punk'.

Perhaps thrash pop will do. The band's upcoming album 'Hourglass Noise' is billed as 'Kim Deal, Kurt Cobain and R2D2' on a road trip, a quote which displays the group's admirable mixture of on-point influences and self-deprecating humour.

Clash is able to premiere new track 'K-Town' which is seemingly about the feeling of entering New York for the first time.

A sensory overload, the confusion, paranoia and inspiration of a big city hits home...

Check it out now. - Clash Music

Track By Track: Samantha – “Hourglass Noise”

Brooklyn-based punk-rock/thrash-pop trio, Samantha, are set to release their sophomore full-length, Hourglass Noise. The album, produced by Erik Braund, will be released tomorrow (April 21st). Purchase Hourglass Noise here.

The songs on Hourglass Noise go to darker places without dwelling on hopelessness. They go to the ugly places, but then develop a sense of perspective from living in that space. The band takes us through each track on the album below.

Upcoming Shows:
Apr. 24 Cameo Gallery (Record Release Show) Brooklyn, NY w/ Crowd The Airwaves, Pussywolf, Super FM
May 2 Rock Shop Brooklyn, NY
May 13 Bowery Electric New York, NY
May 30 Bar Matchless Brooklyn, NY
Jun. 20 Piano’s New York, NY
Jun. 27 The Flat Brooklyn, NY
Jul. 18 Oddity Bar Wilmington, DE

Track By Track

“K-town”
It’s about Mike’s first couple weeks in NYC. It’s really about how both the best and the worst things can be happening to you at the exact same time.

“Push”
It’s written about Gabe, and is about the early days getting Samantha going and off the ground all the adventures along the way to the present. It’s a song about a journey and always moving forward to what you want to do, and your friend doing it right there with you and always having your back.

“Slaughter”
It’s a dark and haunting song about being emotionally paralyzed when the thing you love the most becomes the thing you hate the most.

“Haywire”
“Haywire” is about the absurdity of being a musician, how can one quantify success, and while not really knowing, never regretting any of it because it’s what you love and is simply just a part of you.

“FM”
Sort of an homage to The Ramones’s “Do you Remember Rock n’ Roll Radio?” Sort of a state of affairs that rock n’ roll isn’t what it used to be, and that we can all do better.

“Mouse”
“Mouse” is about feeling small and insignificant. It questions whether your stamp on the world is something anyone will notice or remember.

“Fight”
This song is akin to “Slaughter,” but less despair, and more about overcoming. It’s about triumph over the things in your head that sometimes drag down, paralyze and cripple your ability to be a functioning person.

“Waste What I Want”
This one is actually about our old bass player. It’s about the foolishness when people give up on what they love to do simply because it becomes too hard, and the backlash of regret that comes along with those choices.

“Hitchhiker”
Our only attempt at writing a “nice” love song.

“Ghostbot”
It’s about coping with insecurity, and about people’s perceptions. It’s about trying to fight who are and pretend that you are something/someone who fits. The ghost robot is actually very human. Ultimately no matter how hard you try and pretend, you are who you are.

“Author Obscure”
It also plays into the concept of perception vs. who you really are—and basically was about Mike trying to figure out Alex when they first met, because Alex is a weirdo.

“Jacob’s Ladder”
“Jacob’s Ladder” is about Mike’s wife’s brother who committed suicide. Written from the perspective of Mike’s wife to her deceased brother.

“Inferno”
It’s about growing up and beginning to actually understand that life is finite. When we inevitably die, what we do is left behind for others to remember. It questions whether creating anything and leaving a legacy behind for others (that you will no longer be able to experience), whether it’s worth it or noble. Is art truly selfless or narcissistic? And does any of that ultimately matter. - New Noise Magazine

Samantha's gearing up to release their sophomore album, Hourglass Noise, and today we're excited to premiere the video for their raw, emo-influenced single "Fight." Watch above as the Brooklyn trio's studio jam session gets the stop motion treatment.

"'Fight' dances a fine line between triumph and oblivion," vocalist/guitarist Mike Borchardt explains. "Often times, I can't even tell which side of that line I intended the meaning to fall. The song is about how easily one can be completely paralyzed by the thoughts in their own head."

Hourglass Noise is slated for an April 21 release. East coast readers, Samantha will be playing a few New York shows in the coming months. Check out a list of dates below.

SAMANTHA TOUR DATES
Apr. 24 - Cameo Gallery (Record Release Show) - Brooklyn, NY
May 2 - Rock Shop - Brooklyn, NY
May 30 - Bar Matchless - Brooklyn, NY
Jun. 20 - Piano’s - New York, NY
Jun. 27 - The Flat - Brooklyn, NY - Pure Volume

SAMANTHA ON ‘HOURGLASS NOISE,’ SXSW, & MORE

Brooklyn-based punk-rock/thrash-pop trio Samantha have picked up major momentum since their start in Chicago. The group seem to be steadily making their mark on the music industry, and listeners everywhere. With their abrasive harmonies and driving beats, Samantha certainly makes an impression. Their new album, Hourglass Noise, is prepped for release on April 21st, and showcases the band’s ability to balance blunt frustration and raw emotion.

Mike Borchardt (vox/guitar) and Alex Hoffman (bass/vox) took the time to chat with Planet Stereo about the new album, what it’s like to perform at SXSW, and much more.

Planet Stereo: Thanks so much for doing the interview. How are you?
Mike Borchardt: Fantastic, thanks for having us. We’ve just been playing a lot of shows, and have a lot a lot of shows coming up.

PS: Your album, Hourglass Noise, is set to be released in April. How are you feeling about getting the new material out there?
MB: It’s exciting. We’ve been living with these songs for the better part of the last year, writing the material and recording. So it feels really good to get the music out to our fans, and perform it on stage. That’s really the ultimate completion moment for me, when the music is played live in front of an audience.

PS: Do you have a favorite song from the album? If so, what is it and why?
MB: For me, at least, I don’t have one favorite. All our lyrics are are very personal to me, but “Slaughter” directly references a really dark and scary moment in my life. So it’s probably the hardest one for me to sing from an emotional standpoint.
Alex Hoffman: “Ghostbot.” It’s one of the first songs we came up with after really figuring out how to write together. It’s catchy and weird and has a ton of energy. It’s super fun to play.

PS: What is your favorite part about going into the studio?
MB: When you go into the studio, it’s like the music becomes real. Concepts become concrete and you can listen to the playbacks and start to better understand what it is that you’re intending to do. It’s a different type of creativity than when you’re actively writing the music.
AH: I love tweaking things. I’d do it forever if the other guys would let me.
MB: Plus, getting to play with pedals and toys. It’s something I don’t get to do that much at band practice or when writing.

PS: Would you mind walking me through the creative process?
MB: Usually one of us will come to practice with an idea or a hook, and it kind of just grows from there. We all get our paws on it, and see what elements land and which ones don’t. So it really starts with a single idea, and we all collaborate until it either becomes a song or ends up in the scrap pile.
AH: Recording at home is a huge part of my individual creative process. I record everything when I’m writing. It’s great being able to loop a part and try it a million different ways. Being an independent band on a budget we can’t do too much of that in the studio, so I try to get most of it out of my system early.

PS: You recently played SXSW. Did you enjoy yourself?
MB: SXSW is always a blast. We had a lot of shows we were playing down there this year, and a lot of friends playing as well that we wanted to catch. The crowds are insane, and lugging your gear through the streets can be an adventure for sure. I always describe SXSW as the best and worst week of your life.

PS: What was your first time at SXSW (as a fan or musician) like?
MB: The first time I went was when Samantha played back in 2012, and it was a bit overwhelming. We only had one show booked in Austin that year, so most of our time was spent running around different venues downtown and soaking in as much new music as we could.
AH: This was my first year. I had an awesome time but it was exhausting too. Playing two shows in a day is tough. The last night of the festival we were sitting around our room about 9 PM and I was so tired I didn’t feel like playing at all. A few hours later when we got on stage with that crowd I wasn’t tired at all. It was the best show we played down there.

PS: How do you manage to find time to write new material between playing shows, life, etc.?
MB: It can be a challenge sometimes for sure. I mean we all still have day jobs to pay the bills and stuff, which leaves mostly just our nights free. A lot of times it feels like a balancing act between rehearsing the set for upcoming shows and finding time to work on new music. There’s also a lot of business that needs to be handled on a regular basis to keep the band moving forward. We’re self-managed in almost every capacity. I think it’s just a matter of proper time management really. When you have shows coming up, you practice. When you’re in a creative flow, you lean a little more focus toward working out new songs. I usually write lyrics when I’m on the subway or walking.
AH: That’s another reason I record everything I’m writing; I’ll come up with a bass line or melody I like, but time constraints won’t let me play it or sing it more than a few times. Recording it you don’t even have to take the time to write it down.
MB: It helps that we’re friends first, and we hang out so much outside of being in a band. So we are fortunate that our social life can also double as band time.

PS: What would you like people to come away with when they hear your album?
MB: I’d like people to see that rock music still rocks. The 1990s don’t have to be the last great era in rock n’roll, and moving forward, we can be excited for where music is headed.
AH: I don’t know, I guess I just want it to be something people enjoy and connect with. Something they blast through headphones on the train and use to spark they’re own creativity.

PS: How did you get involved in music?
MB: Growing up, my parents were always blasting music, and I’d sing along to their records. I was raised on bands like Dire Straits, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and whatnot. I also took piano lessons when I was like 5, because my mom thought I needed a creative outlet for my imagination, and by the time I was an angsty teen, I was glued to the radio and MTV, dreaming of getting a guitar and being in a rock n’ roll band. Luckily I had a friend in high school whose sister was selling her old beat-up acoustic guitar for cheap. And he also taught me to play it. Around that same time, my uncle won this crappy blues electric guitar in a poker game, and gave it to me for my birthday. It was like a switch had been permanently flipped, and I knew right then that making music was the the only thing I ever really wanted to do.
AH: When I was a kid my creative outlet was fiction writing but my dad played guitar around the house a ton. One day I picked it up and started trying to learn to play but immediately gave up. I don’t how he played it. This thing was the worst guitar I’ve ever played. It was a super crappy garage sale nylon string that he’d put steel strings on. To get it in tune the strings had to be so tight the neck was bowed, the action was like a half inch and the bridge was starting to come off. I could barely hold the strings down. When I was about 14 all my friends played guitar so I decided to give it another shot. Two years later I worked all summer at McDonalds and bought a used Strat. That’s when I really fell in love.

PS: If you could work with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
MB: As a songwriter, I’d say Bob Dylan. No one can write a song like Dylan, and he has made a career out of reinventing himself and just doing whatever the hell he wants. He’s the original punk rocker. That guy has hands down been coolest dude in music for 60 years.
AH: I’d have to say Matt Sharp. I like playing with people that make everybody around them better. There’re definitely musicians whose music I admire way more but admire is different than wanting to play with some narcissistic asshole that only wants to hear her own voice.
PS: What was the first album you ever bought?
MB: The first records my parents bought me were Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, Cindy Lauper’s “She’s So Unusual,” and Fraggle Rock all on vinyl. A few years later, I traded some Garbage Pail Kids cards for Nirvana and Green Jelly cassette tapes. But I believe the first CD I ever bought with my own money was “Use Your Illusion II” by Guns n’Roses.
AH: I don’t remember the first album I bought but the first album I owned was Weird Al In 3D. I know I didn’t understand that he was being funny I just thought the songs were awesome. I think Weird Al is the reason I got so into bands like Dead Milkmen and Violent Femmes.

PS: In music, especially with social media coming into play, which do you believe to be more important: quality or likeability?
MB: Quality. We care far more about making music that we are proud to put our names on than we do about having millions of fans or Facebook likes. But fans and Facebook likes are cool too.
AH: Quality for sure. I mean of course likeability is important. Pretending it’s not is ridiculous but it’s a means to an end. If that end is shitty music then what’s the point?
PS: Any last words?
AH: Yeah, thanks for having us. Also, we’re super excited about our record release show. We’re playing on April 24th with some great bands at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn. It’s gonna be awesome.
For more on Samantha or to purchase a CD or tickets to a show, click HERE. - Planet Stereo

-Who are you and what are you doing here?
Mike: We’re Rock n’Roll trio, Samantha, from Brooklyn, NY, and we’re making noise.
-How did your music career start?
Mike: I’ve always been into music. I took piano as a little kid, and grew up listening to all my parents records. Things like Dire Straits, Tom Petty, Black Sabbath, and The Beatles. Music was always big in our home, but it wasn’t until high school that my buddy, Nick Delicious, sold me his sister’s old guitar and taught me to play it. After that, I was in a series of Chicago punk rock bands before eventually forming Samantha and then moving to NYC.
Alex: I started playing guitar in junior high. Just like every other little asshole, I hated school and wanted to be Kurt Cobain. I played in punk bands, rock bands and then jazz band in college. I didn’t start playing bass until after college. Some of my friends were in a metal band in Portland and they were short a bass player.
-How would you describe your music?
Mike: I’d like to think that it reminds you of a period of time when rock music still had some balls, but without being retro shtick. We definitely aren’t a “throwback to the 90s” band, but I think our music reminds you a bit why that music was so great. Trash-pop and post-punk are descriptions that have been thrown around. To me, it’s really just rock n’ roll. Our sound was definitely born out of punk, and I think that’s a really great starting point. However, I never wanted to be simply lumped into that category. We write loud and quick guitar rock. It’s heavy and aggressive yet doused in melody. There’s also a robots and lasers undercurrent thing in our newest material that makes me really happy. Musically, I like to always remember where I came from, but not necessarily know where I’m going to end up.
Alex: Gordan Gano, Joe Strummer and Kelly Clarkson in an edgier Sliders reboot.
-If you had to choose one song you’ve written that best defines your sound which one would it be?
Mike: It’s hard because I think Hourglass Noise as a whole record, kinda reflects the spectrum of our musical palette. However, our latest single “K-Town” is a good example. It’s an emotionally conflicted pop song about finding inspiration while traversing the noise and chaos of life.
Alex: I’d say Ghostbot. To me it hits most of the elements in the other songs. It’s also my favorite song on the album and one of the ones that took the most work to get right. And it’s super fun to play.



-In this day and age where anyone is pretty much able to pick up an instrument, what would you say sets your band apart from the rest?
Mike: Well I think there’s a big difference between just picking up an instrument and actually doing something meaningful with it. And I think that’s an important distinction. I definitely don’t consider myself to be an amazing guitarist or singer, and I don’t think it’s imperative that we write super complicated math-rock songs or anything. I always try to focus on keeping the message (both lyrically and sonically) relatively simple and universal. What’s important is that we make music that people can connect with, and I think we do a really good job at achieving that.
Alex: The three of us have totally different personalities and the amount of collaboration in our writing helps us write music with a lot of variety and movement. It keeps us from getting stuck and just churning out songs that all sound the same. One of the things I like most about Hourglass Noise is that every song is distinct but they all fit together to tell an interesting story.
-Where are people able to hear your songs?
Mike: Hourglass Noise is available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and all that stuff. You can also order the record from our website at www.samanthanoise.com. Of course the best way to get it is from us at one of our shows. That way you get see us play live as well.
-Are you playing any shows anytime soon?
Mike: Yeah, our record release show is Friday April 24th at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn, NY with some amazing local bands we really like (Crowd the Airwaves, Pussywolf, and Super FM). Immediately following that, we have a lot of upcoming shows all around New York City, as well as East Coast dates in May, June, and July. We are also touring around the Midwest in August.
Alex: The full list is on our website.
-What is your proudest moment/greatest achievement as a musician?
Mike: For me, it’s when I look back and remember why I got into music in the first place. When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was make music and be in a band. I had things to say and I wanted to create a musical platform to do that. Over the years, I’ve played a lot of great shows with a lot of great bands. We’ve had the chance to play some really big stages, travel to different cities, and do all kinds of cool stuff, and we plan to keep doing that and pushing our band further and further. But I try to always look back and remember that I’m already accomplishing everything I wanted to. I get to make music with my friends, and I get to get on a stage and say what I want to say to an audience of people. All the other cool stuff that comes along the journey of becoming a more and more “successful” band is great, but that’s all just extra for me.
Alex: That’s a tough one. It’s my nature to always be focused on making things better. Every once in a while I’ll listen to an old recording and remember how much fun I had. Pride probably isn’t the right word but there’s definitely a sense of satisfaction.
-Tell us 3 bands that we should be listening to/be keeping an eye out for?
Mike: Apart from the awesome bands I mentioned earlier who are playing with us at our record release show, I definitely want to mention probably our favorite band from Chicago, The Cell Phones. They absolutely kill it! They’re an intense 3-piece (vocals, bass, and drums), and are memorizing to watch live. I don’t think that band gets enough attention, because they should be selling out stadiums as far as I’m concerned. Highly Suspect is a great Brooklyn band that we actually just came across for the first time recently in Austin, TX while we were playing at SXSW. Those guys are everything that’s awesome about rock n’roll, and remind me of early Soundgarden. I also just started getting into Lost Boy? from around NYC, and I’m really digging their new record at the moment.
-Anything else you’d like to add?
Mike: Thanks for having us. Everybody keep a look out out for our new record Hourglass Noise. Check us out online and come see us live when we come through your city!
www.samanthanoise.com
www.soundcloud.com/samanthanoise
www.twitter.com/samanthanoise
www.instagram.com/samanthanoise
www.facebook.com/samanthaisapunk

Tags: samantha
Posted in International, Interviews, introducing - Cool Try Bro

Check out Samantha’s Exclusive Video Interview Below.

An interview at Austin’s famous South by Southwest Festival.

Samantha is a trio from New York who recently released its new album, Hourglass Noise. The band is known for its live shows, which are always a sight to see. - All Access