Sam McQueen :: Wicker Park EP
Review by Terry Matthew | Published February 2007 | Review Archives
This three-song trip from Sam Mcqueen (who gained some rep from his work with Sony recording artists Indio) slipped by me when it first hit the streets in late 2006. This might be too diffuse for some but give it a chance and I think you'll find something to like. "Ezuli" is a laid-back number with a heavy ambient vibe - a little too laid back for my taste, but the crash into the next track, "Cosmopolitan", makes the two songs fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Jazzier and uptempo, the drums on "Cosmopolitan" are crazy - really hi-energy in a Max Roach way. I really like the clean sound he gets as they flail away. "Artful Dodger" returns to the earlier ambient sound. "Cosmopolitan" is probably the only track here that would probably be considered to push a Chicago dancefloor, but the rest of it is good for listening.