"Well.. crap. I love you guys! but this album.. i don't know. I WANT to love it! I DO! But common.. "i wanna lick you like a lollipop.. i wanna eat you like a peach.. i wanna drink you like a waterfall, i wanna kiss you on your beach?" na na na na na na na.. not exactly your most profound work. It may be time to take it back to the drawingboard. I know.. "it's a non-sensical" song.. and you're right.. it is fun, and ridiculously catchy.. but between your last album and this one.. things broke down. Anyway.. i just wanted to let you know.. i'm here for you.. i'll always buy your albums.. ESPECIALLY your apache efforts because i want to keep hearing new things from you. Anyway. I'm off to buy the "very best of" album and the "live in Colorado" I'm keeping my fingers crossed! =)"
This is a Great CD!
dlust23 | Marion, IL United States | 03/24/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a Samples fan for over 14 years and it absolutely blows my mind how musicians and bands with half the talent get more recognition, fame, and radio play then these guys. There's a reason that they've been around for so long! I own every CD they have released and Black and White is by far one of the best studio albums that the they have ever recorded! Long Walk Home is a vintage samples track that could have easily appeared on their self-titled debut. Sean Kelly and Co. have written some really strong songs and there is not one filler track on this CD. The bonus DVD is also really well done and a good portion of it focuses on the fans. Stop reading these reviews, buy a copy now, and become one."
Change is a good thing, this CD is one of their best.
Jon Sabia | Santa Monica, CA United States | 06/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Samples haven't lost a step. From the somewhat dark and gripping opening track "Black & White" on, this CD is awesome. For those who disagree, I find it hard to believe you have truly listened to them over the years. #1) If you are looking for "catchy and danceable" you obviously aren't a true Samples fan. #2) If you think Kelly is in it for the money, you aren't a fan as well. True fans will appreciate this album, enough said."
It's All There, in Black & White
Jon Sabia | 05/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Fifteen years after their debut album, The Samples sound as good as ever. With an entirely new band surrounding him (the third incarnation, more or less), Sean Kelly sounds invigorated. The songs he has written for this album are fantastic songs that fit well alongside everything else in The Samples catalog. Kelly's voice also sounds really good on this album. The new band members are outstanding musicians, every bit as good as those of any other Samples era. Look no farther than the faux easy-listening jazz piano intro to "Empty Angels" as proof that these guys are firing on all cylinders. "Long Walk Home," "Beautiful Girl," and "I Can Feel You" are amazing tunes that are destined to soon be considered Samples classics; these songs, typical of the type of songwriter Sean Kelly is, reveal beautiful truths about life through lyrics that are deceptively simple and eloquent in their understatement. Songs like "Lollipop" and "I Wanna Get Drunk" reveal the light-hearted, good-time side of The Samples, the side exemplified by the title of the song "Warm and Sunny." The Samples are a band you want in your CD player during a backyard barbecue; but they're also a band to play on your headphones when you've had a rough day and just need to be alone and reflect. This album reflects both sides of The Samples equally well. If you're not a fan, this album will make you one. If you're already a fan but may have lost track of the band over the last few years, this is the perfect way to get reaquainted. If you're a fan that has followed the band religiously, sticking by them through thick and thin, then what are you doing reading this review? I'm not telling you anything you don't already know: The Samples are (unfortunately) one of the best kept musical secrets in the world, and with "Black & White," they're right back on top."