Sam Small - A Pocketful of Unicorns

Sam Small

A Pocketful of Unicorns
self-released; 2016

​3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen
​

Sam Small is an artist who is no newcomer to music. He has been writing music for most of his life. He says “the music never leaves. And songs keep coming” and it was always his passion. I know exactly what he means. It’s like a bug that bites and never leaves. I myself have been writing music a little over twenty years and even though there are ebb and flows of inspiration it always stays with you.

For Small his latest burst of inspiration came in the form of an album called A Pocketful of Unicorns. The album contains twelve songs and is pretty minimal. A lot of the production comes down to vocals and piano.

Small is a versatile singer who doesn’t stick to one particular style. There are times when he is almost talking, other times where is delivering more conventional singing. Perhaps the most unique thing is that he sometimes sings in an English accent and sometimes an American one. Now this isn’t hyperbolic or comically. It’s subtle. I definitely had some preferences when it came to his singing style.

Up first is “Being With You “which revolves around his vocals and piano. The vocal harmonies are what made the song for me. Lyrically, the song is a straightforward love song. He sings “Being with you is all I want is all I have to say / Wanting you is all I feel on this and every day / I love you.”

On “Giai” Small sounds theatrical almost as if he is singing in a play while “You Could Have Been” is a highlight. I especially enjoyed the chorus on “You Could Have Been” when he sings “You could have been a cocktail waitress / You could have been in Steeleye Span / You could have been a mathematician / You could have been a sailor man.”

As the album progresses the songs continue with a minimal approach. “Seven Lonely Years” is another song that has a singing style that feels like it could be in a theatrical play. I actually preferred his more conventional singing that he displays on “South Coast Blue.” A clear highlight is “Farewell.” The vocals are memorable on this song and I thought the double tracked vocals sounded great. Make sure not to miss the acapella closer “Goodbye.”

​Small’s music feels authentic and from the heart. I don’t think he is trying to be anything than what he is with this music. Some songs stuck out more than others but A Pocketful of Unicorns is worth a gander.

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