Wow. If you’ve listened to Sam Tompkins’s release “Lose It All,” you know the studio version is an emotional rollercoaster. However, the live version cements this song as a masterpiece. The song itself is heart-wrenching, but Sam’s performance takes it to a whole different level.
The first order of business has to be the vocals. Sam Tompkins has mastered the art of balancing uniqueness with unbridled skill. There are lovely idiosyncrasies to notice in his tone–including his rasp, pronunciation, and warmth. At the same time, he’s performing vocal acrobatics. He tumbles seamlessly through runs and high-pitched falsetto moments. Every choice he makes feels natural and effortless, especially as he emotionally belts the second chorus. Every word is soaked in urgency as his voice cracks in a beautiful display of desperation. Sam Tompkins is simply designed to sing. It’s rare to find someone whose voice carries this much feeling behind it.
The live arrangement of this song strips away some of the production elements of the original (bass, effects, etc…) and leaves us with a piano/vocal duet. The listener can close their eyes and picture themselves there. It has that often indescribable, otherworldly ambiance that a great live performance always has. The pianist shows ample mastery while still letting Sam’s vocals take center stage. Everything comes across as intimate and untouched.
Watch out for Sam Tompkins. It’s truly only a matter of time before this song blows up–so here’s your chance to say you knew about it before everyone else did.
Written by Alyce lindberg
