Sam Coe and the Long Shadows – ‘Santa Fe’ EP Review

When you’re talking about the leading lights on the UK country scene, Sam Coe has to be part of the conversation. Sam Coe and the long Shadows have appeared at each of the last two Country 2 Country festivals and we featured an interview with the Norwich based singer songwriter just last week.

Having seen Sam and the guys play at C2C, I went in search of some her music and was delighted to see that she has a new EP out – ‘Santa Fe’.

The EP starts with ‘Moving On’, a real mellow number which does a great job of highlighting Sam’s brilliant vocals. I heard this song at C2C and loved it then and I was delighted to see it on the EP. As an opening number, it works perfectly – the song builds slowly, but at the end of the four and a half minutes you’ll just want to play it again.

The title track is next and starts with the line, ‘Billy says he’s gonna marry me someday, take me away from here, well I don’t get my hopes up high, cos Billy say a lot of things’. The song turns into the tale of the singer making her way to Santa Fe and it’s just a great country song – ‘Santa Fe’ appearing to represent an ideal place/situation in life, without the need to depend on someone.

The EP moves up tempo for the next track ‘Jealousy’. This song is only three minutes long but it certainly has impact – Sam Coe showing a sassy side to her music. This is the song on the EP that you’ll really want to turn up and play loud.

You’ll know from the opening lines of ‘Tellin’ Lies’ that this is the most traditionally country song on the album. Like any good country song it tells a story – this one about a guy leading a double life. ‘My mama didn’t raise no fool, but you had me believe in you’ is my favourite line from the song, a number which comes to a perfect end.

The final song on the EP is ‘No Sympathy’. This song is another up tempo number dealing with coming out of a divorce and being in a good place and wanting to have fun – the song gives a great nod to Tammy Wynette’s ‘D-I-V-O-R-C-E’ too.

Overall, this is a really enjoyable EP from start to finish. You’ve got a nice mix of tempos and you really feel part of the EP when listening to it – while each song is different, they are also part of a whole too. You’re left feeling slightly uplifted at the end too, which is always a plus. This EP is highly recommended and I cannot wait to hear more from Sam Coe and the guys!

You can buy Santa Fe here!