The Sam I Am are a four-piece from Southend in Essex who were clearly paying attention to the last Radiohead LP.

'Count To Ten' is a wild, jagged whirldwind of an intro. Its strangulated, Greenwood-esq guitars thinly mesh over an ankle whipping beat. While the drums are lovely and full, the bassline doesn't come through particularly well, leaving the overall sound too thin to hold up Natash Fox's extraordinarily strong vocals. It's very Natasha Beddingfield in PJ Harvey mode (great style and range, fantastic emotion), but despite the technical aptness of the whole thing, it does leave you rather cold. A positive start, though, despite the similarity of second track, 'We Smile At Our Frights' which very much continues on the whole '2+2=5' tip.

** www.thesamiam.com**