‘People Living’ offers insight into human
emotion
Anna Reynal
/ Reviewer
For an album that covers a wide spectrum of human emotion,
“People Living” is quite an appropriate title.
From the softer sound of “In the Grey” to the
politically charged “Revolution,” Sam Fisher
explores those emotions that seem to connect us to
life.
The album opens with the upbeat “Inspiration
Information,” a cover of the original Shuggie Otis
version. A rather cheerful song, Fisher uses this first tune
to recognize his musical roots. And it is
evident what they are: the song has a reggae infused style,
marked by syncopated rhythms and a light instrumental
background to the lyrics. However, Fisher’s own style
shines through in the guitar riffs in between each of the
verses and the chorus.
“Love on the Run” is another sample of Fisher
paying homage to his roots. The song is filled with
syncopated rhythms and intricate dissonances typical of jazz.
Vocally, Fisher has a smooth quality that falls into
wonderful scoops and slides that mirror the sounds of the
instrumentals. Fisher uses fun, playful lyrics in this piece
to tell the story of a particularly meaningful one-night
stand.
Lyrics on this track like “Love ain’t tender,
love ain’t kind/don’t expect no piece of
mind,” are catchy, but at the same time will resonate
with listeners.
On the opposite side, however, falls the ballad
“Haven’t Said Enough.” Although it does not
have the upbeat, fun tone that the previous two songs share,
the more serious tone showcases Fisher’s ability to put
intense emotion into his music.
With a soul-like vibe and the lyrics, “Was it
something I said to upset you/Was it something I said so
wrong/Was it something I said/or a sign I misread/Please
don’t hang up/Cause I haven’t said enough,”
Fisher pleads with the listener, making them feel the hurt
and pain so commonly experienced in the trying times of a
relationship.
Adding to the emotion is the increased sense of intensity
driven by the increase in dynamics over the course of the
song and the slowing of the tempo during the last chorus that
emphasizes the hurt and desire present throughout the
song.
But the point of the song is not sad; it is meant instead to
remind listeners of the kind of love that takes over our
hearts.
Other songs on the CD cover emotions besides love. “In
the Gray” talks about commitment and figuring out where
you stand. The tension that one feels when being “in
the gray” is musically experienced in this song by
minor chords at certain cadence points and throughout the
song, and ehanced by smooth vocals that have a misty
quality.
“Revolution” is quite the opposite, with its
strong beat and feeling that encourages listeners to
“take a stand.” It has more of a rock attitude,
mixed with a slight feel of funk and some nice guitar riffs,
leading to the end with heavier instrumentals and full guitar
solos.
Probably the most widely known song on the album is
“Countin’ on Love,” Fisher’s first
single. With a foot-tapping R&B and gospel feel, it is a
rather uplifting tune that reflects on loss and how we deal
with it.
Finally, the song “Say Goodnight” is also
uplifting and hopeful, but for very different reasons. This
song is very personal to Fisher, who wrote it to give peace
to his mother after his younger brother died in a car
accident.
“It was hard to sleep when everything was so
quiet” after that incident, Fisher remarked, and the
song was a “reflection,” on this life-changing
experience. The song deals with pain and loss, but leaves the
listener with a sense of peace, saying, “I’m all
right/say goodnight/You can sleep now/I’m
alright.”
These lyrics are accompanied by a beautiful, soothing
melody, without much tension from the instrumental
accompaniment, sweetly serenading the listener and comforting
the hurt places of the soul.
The key to Fisher’s success on this album is the
expression in his voice, awakening emotions in the listeners
and using his lyrics to connect to them. With a variety of
sounds and styles, Sam Fisher’s “People
Living” is a great debut album that has a little
something for everyone.
Contact Anna Reynal at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247 | 
