Sam Semple - Mystery Songs

Sam Semple's Mystery Songs have been haunting me for weeks. Here is a real new talent. A singer songwriter with a mastery of lyrics, a sweet voice, and an angle on life that will make you think even as you hum and smile - a fabulous debut. - Stephen Fry.The singer-songwriter, Sam Semple's debut album, 'Mystery Songs' is a brilliant rite of passage record in which he writes deeply about human hope and doubt, a farewell to youth inspired by the coming birth of his own son.Prior to writing and recording the album, Semple co-wrote 'Better' with Tom Baxter, a song written for Sam's own wedding, later covered by Boyzone. He also co-wrote 'Miracle' with Tom, the signature track for the BBC's Beijing Olympics coverage and more recently he wrote 'How Would You Do It?' with French pop star Medi, a top ten hit in Japan. What he hadn't yet done though was make a serious album of his own songs, songs he'd been writing for years.When he asked for help to make his own record, an illustrious band of musicians were happy to help out, including: Tom Baxter, Scott Matthews, Jamie Morrison (Stereophonics), Sam Lewis (Owiny Sigoma), Charlie Winston, Danny Keane (Mulatu, Bat for Lashes).The end result of Sam's own endeavours is Mystery Songs, a wonderfully moving, emotional-sounding record that captures a unique songwriting talent. The more you listen, the more it reveals itself. Timeless in feel, it's like a favourite book, evoking the literary song-craft era of the '70s offering glimpses of Neil Young, Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Presley, Cat Stevens.