With Gumshoe, Samantha Crain overcomes her tendency to self-isolate. Crain’s signature blend of folk, blues, and rock has appeared on Reservation Dogs and Lily Gladstone’s film Fancy Dance. A member of the Choctaw nation, Crain used Gumshoe as an opportunity to take on their motto “Together we’re more.” Gumshoe feels more fluid and celebratory than Crain’s work has in some time, as she invited her band to collaborate more in the process.
The album kicks off with “Dragonfly,” a retro rocker with a flittering, angular guitar line that will catch your ears immediately. The rev-up contrasts what was with what’s to come: balancing Crain’s fierce independence with the human need to build connection with others. Yet the song reflects no tension – instead, it’s an accounting of where Crain has been, and what’s to come.
