We were minding our own business when the music of Sam Baker fell out of the sky and turned the taciturn to transport.  We were taken away by Baker’s spare music and his deftly-sketched stories of happy old-marrieds, ditch-diggers, first-grade teachers, road crews, and lovers.  His voice recalls John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, and (to our ears) even Joseph Arthur.  And it is his hide-nothing voice that carries you away.  This is especially true on his new Kickstarter-funded album, Say Grace, which will be released in North America next week.  You can buy Say Grace now, however, via iTunes.  Do yourself a favor and go buy this fine album.

Baker grew up in a small town near Dallas, and grew up in a music-filled house.  He went to college and then took various jobs in order to travel.  It was during that travel that Baker’s life would be forever changed.  While traveling by train in Peru in 1986, a terrorist bomb exploded and, while others died around him, Baker was severely injured, losing much of his hearing and suffering serious injuries to his arms/hands.  The next decade brought multiple surgeries and a healing process that eventually would inform his astute and sympathetic worldview.  Baker eventually relearned the guitar and overcame his hearing loss to develop his own performance style.  Baker, who now resides in Austin, has self-released three critically-acclaimed albums prior to Say Grace.

Despite (or, perhaps, because of) this backdrop, Baker now approaches life positively:  “Life is a gift. I went through a lot of bitterness- a lot of anger. But those things are toxic.  Gratitude for what remains is more helpful than resentment for what was lost.  Ultimately, I came to understand that these days are wicked short and terribly beautiful.  All I’ve got—no matter what I hold in my hands, drive around in, or put in the bank,-  all I’ve got is this one breath, and if I’m lucky, I get another.”

We’ll have a full review of Say Grace after we’ve given it it’s full due.  In the meantime, to get a feel for Baker and his songs check out the first lyric video from the new album for song White Heat (featuring video and photos of rural, tornado-torn Oklahoma), followed by Baker’s live performance of Say Grace.  The final video is Baker’s personal reaction (given his history) to the Boston Marathon bombing and performance of older song Angels (For the Bombing Victims).  Powerful stuff.  The lyrics to Say Grace and Angels are at bottom.

Say Grace

she was almost out of high school
when she left home
got a job in an office
she answered the phone

her boss was a creep he wouldn’t leave her alone
she had to go
middle of that mess she met a fine young man
they rolled into houston in a chevrolet van

louisiana tags a beautiful band of gold
they carried each other so long
but they drifted apart never really went wrong
they just married too young both moved along

c’est la vie

she starts every day
just fine
then she hears that voice
same place same time

her mother is in the mirror
with the same old lines to say
she says you know better say grace

don’t even try
you can’t take your brother’s place
don’t even try
don’t give me that face any more

so where does the time go
now there is gray in her hair
she sits at her dressing table
in a wrought iron chair

wears a terry cloth robe
with a tear
when she is alone
the tv says war in the holy land

she looks at the wrinkles on the
back of her hand
rubs her fingers where she wore a wedding band
she looks away

precious savior
she remembers a hymn
it is a hymn
she never liked

she goes to the gym
goes to work
dinner with a friend
falls asleep
with the tv on

you know better
say grace
don’t even try
you cant take your brother’s place
don’t even try
don’t give me that face anymore
say grace

you know how
all these years
even now
stand up
mother take a bow
cause you still
make her cry

Angels

Angels flutter around her heart
Love can heal they softly call
When trouble comes to the ones she loves
Her angels come

They ease all suffering
Heal all pain
Her angels come like healing rain

Love and angels conquer all
Like rain her healing angels fall
Love and angels conquer all
Her healing angels softly call

Amen

Call a truce
Call a war
Everyone is a bastard
Everyone is a whore
Everyone is a saint
Everyone is redeemed
Everyone is at the mercy of another one’s dream

Late at night when dreams are king
I get nervous about what dark brings
I call her name she holds me tight
She whispers everything’s all right

Call a truce
Call a war
Everyone is a bastard
Everyone is a whore
Everyone is a saint
Everyone is redeemed
Everyone is at the mercy of another one’s dream