Sam Bambery: Songs About Sailors

Ōtautahi guitarslinger Sam Bambery is an introspective character. His debut album “Songs About Sailors” was released last month. Simply composed and largely left in their natural, naked form by producer De Stevens, Bambery’s thoughtful songs tell stories of heartbreak and change. The album explores folk, country, and indie rock influences while balancing Bambery’s skilled musicianship with the “three chords and the truth” ethos that embraces simple songwriting.

Photography by Ella Waswo

There’s a lot of simplicity in the album, a lot of the hooks are really simple and that’s a really effective way to get the message across. Is that simplicity something you were aiming for?

I think complexity happens with time. I’m still pretty early in my songwriting career. I take a lot of queues from my heroes as a teenager; Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Wilco. They have very anecdotal songs which are really simple. I just came out of studying at jazz school where there is a lot of complexity to study. I feel like when I started writing songs I was trying to break away from that. I was going through some pretty turbulent emotional times when writing and I feel like simplicity communicates that better.

There’s a lot of heartbreak and hope in this album. It’s at times quite melancholic but still positive in its outlook. Was there something in particular you were hoping for?

I was hoping something would change. I wrote the title track in lockdown and I was probably the most supremely depressed I has been in a long time. However, I think I’m a particularly strong-willed person. I think despite me feeling deep feelings about relationships and being in a situation where you can’t see a way back I still want a way out and that warm feeling at the end. I still want a hopeful message, as conceited and cliche as that may be.

There’s a metaphor that pops up a couple of times in the album - you refer to a “ball and chain” - what was holding you back?

I feel like it’s traditionally a sexist term about the person you’re married to. I tried to recontextualise it into being tied to a negative feeling. I was held down by my own doubts and insecurities and a sense of guilt. It’s really heavy. The ball and chain is ultimately me, at the end of the day. I think I’m someone who feels strong emotions, self-loathing emotions, pretty easily.

This album has a strong nautical theme, how did this come about?

That wasn’t intentional to begin with. The title track was written without much thought about the rest of the album. I wanted metaphor. If you’re on the high seas you’ve kind of just got to ride it out. That’s why the imagery for the album has this blue abstract flow to it. It wasn’t intended in the beginning but I’ve since discovered it’s part of my identity.

Find Sam Bambery and his album “Songs About Sailors” here:

Instagram: @sam.bambery

Facebook: Sam Bambery

Spotify: Sam Bambery