Album Notes

From The Buffalo News 5/9/07: Orchard Park musician Sam [Gillam] has been a rising star on Western New York’s indie rock front ever since making the cover of The Buffalo News Gusto with his former band Red Herring, which Gusto described as “making waves on the local music scene.” That was two years ago. Now, Sam is a junior at Orchard Park High School, has adopted the professional name Sam Gillam, and is ready to release a solo album, called “Measure of Doubt.” .... Sam put together “Measure of Doubt” independently, using “my home recording studio, with an eight-track Boss recorder.” His aptitude for instrumentation is impressive; he plays bass, guitar, the drum machine, harmonica and keyboard on every song. He is also the writer and vocalist for the entire album. “The music always comes first. I come up with an idea or melody, turn it around in my head for months and then return to it later. I usually have to go back after I record the song and learn the lyrics, but the music is always there. When I start out making a song, I think about my thoughts and feelings, and then I ask myself how I can turn those emotions into words without giving too much away.” Sam’s musical career began long before his exploits with Red Herring; “I started playing piano when I was 5 or 6 and bass when I was 8.” Sam was encouraged by his parents to pursue music. “Both my parents played music for me ... I probably wouldn’t have picked up guitar if guitars hadn’t been lying all over the house.” While Sam’s current musical tastes include Cake, Spoon, Coldplay, Luke Doucet and the Strokes, older musicians like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin have had a significant impact on his style. “Measure of Doubt” has a clear coming-of-age theme. Sam’s album was written over a two-year period, and reflects a developing view of his own place in the world. His songs resonate with rebellion and realization; a bold call to arms for our generation. His music urges us to seek ourselves out, to harbor our own dreams against all odds. “There’s a lot that we can do as individuals, especially with today’s technology. We are an important generation,” Sam said. John Lombardo, formerly a member of 10,000 Maniacs and currently with John & Mary and The Valkyries, has high praise for “Measure of Doubt.” “I was really impressed by all aspects of the CD; he did multilayering and all the recording himself. But what impressed me the most was that he wrote great songs, that’s really the hardest thing; a lot of people are pretty talented players, but the creativity needed to come up with material like that is much more unusual. I thought it was really well-written and well-performed. There are a lot of records that you buy that have one or two good tracks, and filler for all the rest, but Sam’s album created an overall vibe and was listenable, from beginning to end. I think Sam has all the potential in the world, especially considering his age.”