What does Sam Lynch sound like?

Soft, confessional and introspective indie rock.

The review of ‘Outline’ by Sam Lynch

Tackling your sophomore album is often a tricky balancing act. For Sam Lynch, ‘Outline’ follows four years after her 2020 debut ‘Little Disappearance’. Instead of moving too far away from her initial quiet indie pop roots, this new album expands the sound palette and focuses in on the overriding musical trait Sam provides. Lynch specialises in hush rock. Think Phoebe Bridgers taking part in a stealth mission and you’ll be in the right ballpark. It is a lazy comparison, but it tunes your ears in for the intimate and warm glow that Sam Lynch’s music provides.

‘All the Life’ opens the album beautifully with muffled drums and drifting synths and guitars that melt into each other. Sam sings of trying to find herself through online surveys about mental health and pitches the central theme tent of the album right from the outset. What are you going to do with all the life you have left? The search for purpose and meaning comes up repeatedly – be that through the lonely electric guitar solo of this track wading through the indie pop fog, or in the folk rock chug of ‘Hurt’. ‘Hurt’ confronts the pain of love and how a relationship has grown sour and stale. Everything from the tempo to the folksy chug to the underplayed chord progression seeps a malaise through it as if the song is stuck and Sam is trying to escape it. That said, it’s a middle America radio hit in waiting. It pairs beautifully with ‘Doing My Best’, which takes muted guitar stums, and rustic, dry drums and brings a rockier side to the album. Here Sam questions herself about whether she really is doing her best, even referencing her debut album title as “the best I can offer”. Its cinematic finale breaks out from the hush rock tropes and marks the end of side A.

Following a short ‘Intermission’ acoustic piece, draped in piano and clarinet, we enter side B. ‘Getaway Car’ is a dark, damp and reflective hue of a ballad. The shuffling brushed percussion and deliberate wounded crawl away from emotional damage is everything hush rock does so well. The bassy, reedy production with clarinet and synths makes the guitars sound like they are playing in reverse. Each chord is stretched out like lethargic toffee and it is incredibly effective as a song. ‘Teeth’ is far chirpier on the surface with its bouncier beat, clarinet arrangements and beautiful gritted guitar production. Yet the loneliness and wish for things to stay the same paint a picture of a deep disconnect with a loved one.

‘Piece of You’ is the simplest song on the album. Led by acoustic guitar and backed by subtle harmonium (which is the spine of the album), we have a song about not feeling equal to your partner. It is sweet and is structured like a classic 60’s folk track. Having deconstructed her relationships and thought processes, ‘Moth’ speaks of transformation and not giving up. There is hope and optimism – be that in life, love or creativity. Throughout the album, the production has a dry barn edge to it and some instruments like the piano are filtered through a vinyl splutter or played softly but up close to bleed into the mix. The whole album does this, but ‘Moth’ is where it delivers the most emotional punch. The song stays understated from beginning to end so the listener can exhale the emotional stress.

Understated is a great descriptor of ‘Outline’. Sam Lynch rarely raises her voice, but instead, she pulls you in with her confessional quietness. The album is concise and tells a powerful story of perseverance through personal exploration. Every note and sound is purposeful and whilst the hushed tones are numbingly soothing, Sam doesn’t skimp on the instrument layering either. This is a comforting album, despite its tone and subject matter. Perhaps ‘Little Disappearance’ isn’t the best you can do after all Sam…

Recommended track: Getaway Car

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