Sammy Brue isn’t old enough to drink legally in some of the venues where he has performed, I suspect. But even at the tender age of 18, the Utah singer-songwriter is already an old hand, with several EPs and his 2017 debut album I Am Nice under his belt. And with this self-assured followup Crash Test Kid — which marries his endearingly snotty vocals and wise-beyond-his-years lyrics to a menu of crisp, crunchy alt-roots and indie pop-rock – he’s clearly on the road to bigger and better things. Go along for the ride. And raise a toast.
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Music has just been a part of my life since I was very young — it’s been like my football or my soccer,” says Sammy Brue. “I stopped going to school to do it. Because I thought, If I could put seven hours a day into music, imagine where it’s going to take me …” Imagine, indeed. Since writing his first song at the age of 11, Brue has released three homespun EPs, his full-length debut, I Am Nice and a 2018 EP, Down With Desperation. In the process, the Ogden, Utah native has been hailed as an “Americana prodigy” and one of the “teenagers shaping pop.” But these myriad accomplishments may have just been the setup for what is arguably his finest work to date, Crash Test Kid. Brue has always been an artist seemingly wise beyond his years, but on Crash Test Kid he often gets at the heart of a matter or melody with just a simple but insightful turn of phrase or cleverly picked guitar.”
