For those not in the know, a native of Portland, Oregon, now living in Ogden, Utah,Sammy Brue released his debut album I Am Nice in mid-2017 via New West Records to widespread critical acclaim.

Brue has been writing songs since he was 10 years old after receiving an acoustic guitar from his father for Christmas. Long influenced by the Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Leadbelly, and Woody Guthrie songs played in the family car for years, Sammy quickly embraced the instrument and wrote his first song within two months.

Before signing to New West Records, Sammy self-released two EPs, the latest being I Don’t Want You To Leave in 2015.

Now on the back of his aforementioned New West full-length debut and a 2018 EP, Down with Desperation, Brue has brought forth arguably his finest work to date, his sophomore outing Crash Test Kid (out now, once again, via New West).

1. 'Gravity'
2. 'Die Before You Live'
3. 'Teenage Mayhem'
4. 'True Believer'
5. 'Pendulum Thieves'
6. 'Crash Test Kid'
7. 'Megawatt'
8. 'Fishfoot'
9. 'Skatepark Doomsday Blues'
10. 'What You Give'
11. 'Paint It Blue'

This quite magnificent, fresh and abundantly jubilant new album opens with the raw vocal and acoustic guitar work of 'Gravity,' which is seamlessly backed up with the upbeat 'Die Before You Live,' the early '80s punk angst of 'Teenage Mayhem,' and then the quieter, balladeering melodies of 'True Believer.'

Brue has always been an artist seemingly wise beyond his years, but on Crash Test Kid he often gets at the heart of a matter or melody with just a simple, but insightful turn of phrase or cleverly-picked guitar.

Perhaps none more so than both the glorious storytelling of 'Pendulum Thieves' and the open-hearted observance of the title track, 'Crash Test Kid.'

The encouraging buoyancy of both 'Megawatt' and 'Fishfoot' make for a lively third chapter to the albums rhythmic anecdotes, and then the new recording rounds out with the yearning vocal reach and exquisite pitch of 'Skatepark Doomsday Blues,' the foot-tappin' 'What You Give,' before closing out on the teenage longing for acceptance found within 'Paint It Blue.'

"Music has just been a part of my life since I was very young," Brue explains. "It's been like my football or my soccer"

"I stopped going to school to do it, because I thought if I could put seven hours a day into music, imagine where it's going to take me!"

Official Purchase Links

www.SammyBrue.com

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