I know, from chatting with singer Vanessa, that some of the songs on High Places are relics from the days when Samuel was still an active band, and some are brand new. The thing is, I don’t know which ones are which—a testament to the band and their reunification. If we’re being honest, the reason for Samuel S.C. getting back together isn’t obvious, because, as I mentioned in my review of their singles comp, their original recorded output was small, as was their footprint. But, on the other hand, it’s plain as day—Samuel is back together because of their friendship and the chemistry they share as musicians. Here the production is a little shinier, but all of the hallmarks of the band’s earlier output are present: soulful confessions laid bare vocally, guitars battling each other for dominance, a rock-solid rhythm section hurtling the songs forward. An unexpected gift of a record—and that’s before I see them live (for the first time!) doing this new material. –Michael T. Fournier (Org)