Runaway [VINYL]

Released in 2011 as her solo debut, with RUNAWAY Samantha Fish broke out big time and announced herself as a newcomer to be reckoned with. Just a few months before that, very few people outside Kansas City, Missouri knew there was a young, dynamic musician named Samantha Fish getting ready to take the world by storm. In fact, by then it wasn't all that long ago that the 22-year-old singer/guitarist first discovered the blues and started paying her dues on that city's local scene. Now Samantha Fish is one of the big stars in the Blues music scene and Ruf Records is happy to finally release her solo debut album as Vinyl! The album's original songs and pair of covers incorporate "all the sounds I grew up with, with my own spin," says Fish, who seems to have spent her formative years in the Midwest soaking up a vast array of musical styles. Runaway features sharp-edged, riff-driven blues ("Down in the Swamp"), breakneck boogies ("Runaway"), smoky, late-night jazz ("Feeling Alright") as well as hints of the sultry 70s hard rock of Ann and Nancy Wilson and the 4/4 ruggedness of the Rolling Stones. Throughout, Fish demonstrates astonishing range and depth as a songwriter. Her vocals are cool, confident and nothing less than beguiling. Jamie Little, one of the UK's most in-demand drummers, reunited with bassist Cassie Taylor to give the record plenty of rhythmic thump. Producer Mike Zito, a St. Louis native and 2010 Blues Music Award winner, added a thick, meaty electric guitar on most cuts.