Album Review: Samantha Fish — Chills & Fever
File next to: Nick Curran, JD McPherson, Wanda Jackson
On her previous albums, guitarist Samantha Fish churned out a solid modern blues. Not unlike a slightly more Americana-leaning Ana Popovic, Fish displayed her six-string abilities on stomping, barroom-style blues numbers. And while there’s not a thing in the world wrong with that, on Chills & Fever, the 28-year-old guitarist has taken a radical detour. With the aid of members of the Detroit Cobra, Fish as made a down-and-dirty rock and roll album that’s embodies the spirit of classic rhythm and blues. Thrilling musical backing is a feature of every track. Occasionally, the vocal parts push the limits of Fish’s abilities, and she sounds slightly out of her depth, but her sizzling lead guitar work more than redeems things. Taken as a whole, Chills and Fever suggests an intriguing new direction for Fish, one she’d do well to pursue on further releases.
Watch for my interview with Samantha Fish, coming soon to Musoscribe.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.