SAM MILLAR (Bigfoot) – Radio Gouda / Holy Sass (2020)

If the name SAM MILLAR doesn’t ring a bell, he’s the guitarist for Frontiers Music signed band BIGFOOT. If the name of his just released second solo EP ‘Radio Gouda‘ doesn’t give you an idea of the music inside, just take a look at the artwork… yes, this is ’80s influenced melodic hard rock with an AORish radio friendly approach.
And we have Sam’s previous EP ‘Holy Sass‘ from last year too, in a similar fashion.

If you’re on the scene you’ll be familiar with Sam’s former band, melodic hard rockers BIGFOOT, with which he parted ways in good terms last year to fly as solo artist.
The harder edge of BIGFOOT has gone and has been replaced by unashamed classic melodic rock / AOR heaven on ‘Radio Gouda’ that takes you right back to the Eighties. Add to that a tinge of Paul Gilbert-esque quirkiness and wrap it up in a feel-good 80s movie soundtrack and we’ve got ‘Radio Gouda’ pegged.

Following in the same vein as his first solo EP, last year’s ‘Holy Sass’, ‘Radio Gouda’ is the perfect summer collection of songs to instantly cruising the pacific coast highway driving a red convertible with not a care in the world.
Make no mistake Sam can write a tune, these songs are all real earworms that you’ll find yourself unwittingly humming all day every day. Is it a cheeky bit of Van Halen or Damn Yankees, ‘Sober’ being my current favourite song of the E.P. closely followed by ‘Forbidden’.

It could not have come at a better time with gigs postponed / cancelled as brief opener ‘Radio Gouda’ sees the EP introduced by DJ Dairylea. ‘Human’ has an instantly memorable main riff. Soul searching lyrics are toughened up by big choruses.
Hefty riffs during ‘Forbidden’ pin down sugar sweet choruses and a guitar overload outro. ‘Let It Rain’ is a heart melting power ballad with an emotional lead vocal backed by soothing harmonies.

Sam punches out another strong riff to drive along the AOR grooves of ‘Sober’ and its luscious choruses are delivered with a whisper.
Wearing his heart firmly on his CD sleeve, the lyrical content has a certain innocence about it that belies his sense of humor, which is clearly displayed on ‘Levi’s’, this is where the Paul Gilbert-isms come into play of genius meets cheese and you’re never quite sure which it is. Lockdown has certainly made all our Levi’s feel too tight, although I doubt that is what our Sammy is alluding to here.

Sam’s first EP ‘Holy Sass’ opens with the song ‘Eyes’ which it has a feel good summery vibe too with a heavy but catchy main riff recalling early Bon Jovi. I didn’t mentioned his vocals; he has a strong, clean melodic delivery perfectly fitting the material on offer.
‘Cyber Girl’ is an intense power ballad with the emphasis on power due to the bombastic riffing but overs soul searching verses lead to sugar sweet choruses.

‘Let Me Yet’ has hooks that get under your skin from the off and we even get whistling throughout but a lot more cheerful than those in ‘Wind Of Change’.
‘Lost In Translation’ is a spine tingling midtempo that builds on a heart worn on the sleeve vocal, melodic lead guitar work and sweeping strings, something like Poison’s ‘Every Rose Has It’s Thorn’ without the glam.

Final track ‘Strangers’ is all adrenaline rush power-pop / melodic rock and it brings to mind the lighter side of Damn Yankees, or Nelson first album. Driving riffs are backed by additional piercing guitar lines and the choruses are surely meant to be hollered out in the car, windows down and the stereo blasting it out on eleven!

I think it will be great to see these songs performed live (one day sans coronavirus) for a real feel good singalong and some cool guitar shredding thrown in to dial up the cool factor.
All hail the chorus, long live the chorus!!! I can already tell this will be part of the soundtrack to my summer days.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – Radio Gouda
02 – Human
03 – Forbidden
04 – Let it Rain
05 – Sober
06 – Levi’s
07 – Eyes
08 – Cyber Girl
09 – Let Me Yet
10 – Lost In Translation
11 – Strangers

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