Review: Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton ‘Death Wish Blues’

Review: Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton ‘Death Wish Blues’

By Mike O’Cull

Roots music stars Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton break new ground by mixing old-school skills with the fire of indie rock on their new collaborative album Death Wish Blues.

The record busts out May 19th, 2023 on Rounder Records and is the first full-length effort Fish and Dayton have made together. Produced by indie legend Jon Spencer (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), much of the set has an alternative, almost experimental sound with a big identity and a mind of its own. Tracking went down at Applehead Recording & Production in Woodstock, New York, a studio situated on a 17-acre farm once home to The Band’s Rick Danko. Everything was captured in just ten days, recorded mostly live off of the floor, and takes the very idea of blues/rock into directions that may challenge some fans. Fish and Dayton share guitar and vocal tasks on these sessions and are backed by a cool studio band made up of bassist Kendall Wind, keyboardist Mickey Finn, and drummer Aaron Johnston.

Samantha Fish is a high-value blues/rock headliner who has made an outstanding name for herself. She’s a Blues Music Award-winning guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who has never been shy about doing things her own way. She’s a strong solo artist who has worked with contemporary roots heavyweights like Devon Allman, Mike Zito, Luther Dickinson, and Lightnin’ Malcolm. Jesse Dayton is a fine vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter who has done remarkable things with Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, toured as a guitarist for seminal L.A. punk band X, and worked with Rob Zombie on the soundtracks for his unforgettable horror films. There’s no doubting the skills or bona fides of Fish or Dayton and they both bring their own muscles and styles to this new record.

From the opening song and single “Deathwish,” Fish and Dayton throw tradition out the door and rock these tracks any way they want to. “Deathwish” is a pulsating alt/rock song with Fish on vocals and a production style that incorporates pop-worthy hooks with indie rock elements such as processed vocals and synth sounds. Jon Spencer’s influence is immediately audible and he uses his ingenuity to warp and reshape Fish and Dayton’s vibe.

Jesse steps up to the lead vocal mic on the funky “Down In The Mud” and continues to obliterate all stylistic boundaries. The track fuses blues, funk, punk rock, and more interesting production ideas into a bombastic cut that will hit paydirt with more open-minded listeners. The way the sections fit together and some of the sounds used harken back to the early days of sample-based production, which is a little unusual in a roots music context, but shows a willingness to forge ahead into areas that will get listeners attention and let them judge if they like it or not.

“Riders” is a funky road song based on a percolating synth bass line and other electronic sounds. Dayton and Fish share the vocal spot and overall sentiment. “”Riders”is about being musicians and troubadours and having one-night stands with whatever city you happen to be in,” says Fish. “Every city is personified as a love interest or partner, and in the end you just move on to whatever adventure is coming up next.”

The punk/blues/psychobilly romp “Lover on The Side” is straight-ahead and a little weird at the same time. It’s built around a distorted, bare-knuckle guitar riff that’s garage-approved put down over a crisp train beat. Dayton and Fish deliver the lead vocal in dialogue and channel cowpunk grit on the chorus. Bits of surf guitar are there to be found and the epic, soul music bridge/ending will catch you off-guard.

One of the more left-of-center moments on Death Wish Blues is the wild and eccentric “Supadupabad.” It’s a high-speed funk blowout full of character voices and humor that’s definitely not for the purists among us. It will be interesting to see how blues/roots audiences at festivals embrace songs like this. Fish and Dayton take a lot of risks on the album and time will tell whether Death Wish Blues is seen as a misstep or a stroke of genius. As always, you get to make the call for yourself.

Pre-order Death Wish Blues Here

“Deathwish”