Samantha Fish

The first-ever collaborative album from Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton, Death Wish Blues is a body of work born from a shared passion for pushing the limits of blues music. Produced by the legendary Jon Spencer of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Death Wish Blues melds their eclectic sensibilities into a batch of songs both emotionally potent and wildly combustible and helps fulfill their shared longtime mission of opening up the blues genre to entirely new audiences. 

 

SGT. SPLENDOR

Before joining forces, the duo behind Sgt. Splendor were already formidable solo artists, Kate Vargas chalking up acclaim at outlets like NPR, SPIN, and Vice (including praise from the “Dean of American Rock Critics” Robert Christgau); and Eric McFadden amassing an impressive resume including stints on guitar with George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, Fishbone’s Angelo Moore, and Eric Burdon & The Animals, plus a slew of solo albums, and session work with everyone from Jackson Browne to The Clash’s Joe Strummer.  

Sgt. Splendor’s intoxicating chemistry on the new album has its roots not just in enduring friendships, but also in the love and connection of its creative partners, Vargas and McFadden. After circling each other’s orbits for a time, they finally met at a songwriting retreat hosted by Pat MacDonald (of Timbuk 3 / “Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades” fame) in Sturgeon Bay, WI, initially bonding over yet another parallel, a New Mexico upbringing. Their Southwestern roots upbringing come through with Sgt. Splendor—combining mysterioso desert and carnivalesque Waits-ian vibe.