Clumsy (Samiam album)

Last updated
Clumsy
Clumsy (Samiam album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 23, 1994
Genre
Length43:26
Label Atlantic
Producer Lou Giordano
Samiam chronology
Billy
(1992)
Clumsy
(1994)
You Are Freaking Me Out
(1997)

Clumsy is an album by the American band Samiam, released in 1994 on Atlantic Records. [1] [2] The band had been the subject of a bidding war, following the early 1994 success of Green Day; it was Samiam's first album for a major label. [3] [4]

Contents

Clumsy's first single was "Capsized". [5] The band promoted the album by opening for Bad Religion on the Stranger Than Fiction tour. [6] Clumsy sold around 13,000 copies in its first six months of release. [7]

Production

The album was produced by Lou Giordano. [8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau-dud.svg [10]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

The Washington Post thought that "if not bursting with originality, such tunes as 'As We're Told' and 'Bad Day' are nonetheless appealingly energetic and melodic." [11] The Philadelphia Inquirer determined that "Samiam favors a thick power-chord attack that supports lithe, wrenching and surprisingly melancholy vocals ... The result is music that wallops and cries at the same time." [12]

The Gazette concluded: "No problems here with their Westerberg Jr. angst nor their rock ambitions, but if '94 is the year punk 'broke,' '95 is the year it will be broken." [13] The Press-Enterprise stated that Clumsy "flows between hard-core punk and hippie grunge with lyrics telling of childhood pain and misery." [14] The Albuquerque Tribune referred to the album as melodic hardcore, filled with "underlined aggression, bottled like a clinched-fisted rage." [15]

AllMusic wrote that, "'As We're Told' and 'Bad Day' swell with monstrous punk hooks; meanwhile, two slower numbers, 'Tag Along' and 'Cradle' are, respectively, dreamy and angry enough while still retaining can't-miss melodicism." [9]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."As We're Told"Beebout, Brogan3:24
2."Capsized"Beebout, Loobkoff4:12
3."Stepson"Beebout, Loobkoff4:16
4."Bad Day"Beebout, Loobkoff4:01
5."Tag Along"Beebout, Brogan, Rubin4:17
6."Routine"Beebout, Brogan2:41
7."Simca"Beebout, Brogan3:01
8."No Size That Small"Beebout, Loobkoff3:30
9."She's a Part of Me"Beebout, Loobkoff3:31
10."Cradle"Beebout, Brogan4:27
11."Time by the Dime"Beebout, Loobkoff6:02
Total length:43:26

Personnel

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References

  1. "Samiam Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. Roos, John (26 Sep 1996). "They Do Not Like, That Samiam". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 3.
  3. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 977.
  4. Snyder, Michael (July 10, 1994). "SCENE AND SEEN". San Francisco Chronicle. Sunday Datebook. p. 37.
  5. Norman, Michael (September 12, 1994). "PUNK ROCKING ON SCORCHED EARTH AT BLOSSOM". The Plain Dealer. p. 4E.
  6. Staple, Arthur (November 18, 1994). "THIS PUNK HAS GROWN UP". The Record. LIFESTYLE/PREVIEWS. p. 10.
  7. du Lac, J. Freedom (February 24, 1995). "THAT'S SAMIAM". The Sacramento Bee. p. TK19.
  8. Tauschke, Steve (22 Feb 2002). "Anger-powered pop". The Age. Entertainment Guide. p. 3.
  9. 1 2 "Clumsy - Samiam | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  10. "Robert Christgau: CG: Samiam". www.robertchristgau.com.
  11. "SAMIAM PLAYS SAME OLD PUNK SONG". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  12. Moon, Tom (1 Aug 1994). "SING ALONG WITH - PUNK?". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. C5.
  13. Lepage, Mark (22 Oct 1994). "SAMIAM Clumsy". The Gazette. p. D3.
  14. "PUNKTHEYAM". The Press-Enterprise. September 23, 1994. p. AA16.
  15. "Samiam - Clumsy". The Albuquerque Tribune . September 22, 1994. p. D15. Retrieved June 4, 2023.