Sam Lambeth may not be a household name, but if you’re familiar with his music, you’ll know what it entails – bittersweet songs that balance wistful, reflective lyrics with summery, fuzzed-up melodies.
After his tenure with The MonoBloggers came to an end, yielding three EPs, UK tours and a host of support slots (The Lemonheads, Little Comets, The Bluetones and more), Lambeth went to the recording studio alone to cut some tracks in a more raw, lo-fi format. Taking influence from his usual peers – think Teenage Fanclub, Dinosaur Jr and, of course, Evan Dando – Lambeth sought to mix this with a harder, reverb-drenched approach, from bands such as Best Coast, DIIV and Alvvays.
Lambeth recorded under the band name Quinn, and soon enlisted Samm Jones (drums) and Meg Vedder (bass) for live performances. The trio then released the fruits of Lambeth’s labours, Seems Fine, in June 2016. It takes Lambeth’s usual approach and adds refreshing experimentation, beginning with a five-minute art-rock instrumental (‘They Said You Were Dead On Buzzfeed’) and urgent, twisting rock (‘Jessica [My So-Called Life]’). It also contains two of Lambeth’s strongest, most well-received songs to date, in the shape of the frenetic indie stomper ‘Sixteen Vandals’ and the hazy, irresistible codas of ‘All the Lazy Hipsters’.
Blessed with free studio time to make the record, Lambeth donated all proceeds from Seems Fine to Teenage Cancer Trust. So far, the EP has raised nearly £300 through online and physical sales, and Lambeth has pledged to continue donating to the charity as long as the EP remains active. Donations can be placed here - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sam-Lambeth
In their first year as a band, Quinn have played two sold-out gigs in Birmingham, have supported acts including We Are Scientists, Teleman and Johnny Lloyd, enjoyed airplay on BBC WM Introducing, Brum Radio and WCR FM, and are currently working on new tracks. Quinn, and Seems Fine, have both replanted and cemented Lambeth’s position as one of the Midlands’ most talented, consistent songwriters.