Review: Sam Levin takes you on a “feel good” journey with his new project, ‘I Am’

Sam Levin does an excellent job of storytelling and chooses the right beats to accompany each song, providing a diverse listening experience with a range of upbeat and slow tempo tracks. With soft beats and an alternative music foundation, this project creates an experience that feels gentle and intimate. The album makes a great transition from alternative, folk, and a hint of Pop music.

With songs like, ‘Five Fortunate’, Levin serenades with you harmonies and the sounds of a guitar with what seems to be waves crashing in the background. The title song, ‘I Am’, focuses heavily on the piano and creates a ballad and more sombre like feeling, but it’s also something that you don’t want to turn off so soon once you hear the lyrics. Depending on your mood, ‘I Am has a track for every feeling. A song for the lovers, a song to clean your house to, and a song for just a casual day in your car on the way to work. Levin did a great job with creating an intimate sound that’s also universal. Each song paints a vivid picture through the use of lyrics and hypnotizing melodies.

First thoughts on listening to the music: If ‘Plain White T’s’ had a music child, Sam Levin’s ‘I Am’ would be it. The perfect album to listen to while riding on the bus or train, or when biking through a park. It’s almost as if Levin is holding his hand out to you and personally inviting you into his world.

It’s refreshing to hear the range of Levin’s expertise in music whether it’s his vocal abilities or the musical instruments he uses. This is a solid piece of art that leaves you wanting more, perfectly combining elements of different genres and delivering personable, yet relatable lyrics. It’s exciting to see how Levin will continue to grow and evolve as an artist and with his sound.

Words by Gené B Hunter