Sam Millar is a musician, writer and producer from… you guessed… Wigan, and is probably best known for his time in the rock band Bigfoot. Bigfoot released 2 EP’s and their self-titled debut in 2017 which charted in the UK on its release. Despite this success, after a farewell tour in 2019 the band split. Since then Sam has released two solo EPs Holy Sass in 2019, followed by Radio Gouda in 2020 and now a full-length album called More Cheese Please is about to come to maturity.
If you’ve heard the EPs then you will know Sam has moved away from the heavier side of rock to a more pop/rock approach with (as the title suggests) a wry sense of humour added to the mix. [In keeping, I have used Sam’s hometown delicacy in the headline]. He has written, played and produced everything on this album too… smartarse!
The opening track, ‘The Killing Floor’, is (no reference to that other song) a rock/pop lesson in multi-layered, sing-a-long songwriting that would probably have troubled the charts a few decades ago and has some very good guitar soloing to keep us rockers more than interested. Elsewhere we get a bit of funk in the pop mix on ‘Something I’ll Regret’ as the mid-Atlantic rock signature shows through again. ‘Showbiz’ has a cracking riff (and a touch of cowbell) to lift it above the radio-friendly feel and even has a bit of loafing about it. ‘Forget You’ has a distinctly Sweet taste to it while, if like me you’ve had to endure the Footloose film, it may reference this too. ‘Chardonnay’ is my personal favourite as it uses a heavy rock base before it is developed cleverly into another pop/rock masterclass.
In summary, if you want heavy rock then you will only find it hidden in the depths of the intelligent compositions and the excellent guitar forays… but, this is an enjoyable collection of radio-friendly, infectious pop that will certainly lighten the mood as part of my many playlists rather than a sit and listen all the way through album, and so is still worth seeking out.
More Cheese Please is out now.
