Back in June of 2023, Samia did us (and Milwaukee) a big ol’ favor by making a special trip to our city for a Studio Milwaukee Session months after wrapping up a North American tour. That was her only performance in Milwaukee in support of sophomore album Honey, but on Tuesday we discovered that won’t be the case for her next studio LP.
Having already announced the release of new album Bloodless on April 25, Samia shared her plans for another tour that this time will include a proper show — our sessions are only 20-ish minutes after all — June 5 at Turner Hall Ballroom.
If there’s any silver lining to Samia giving Milwaukee a miss during her last tour, it’s the robust song catalog she’s been able to build over the past couple years. Honey was a proper step forward in production to match the strong vocals she’s exhibited since the start. Those pipes were on display during her Studio Milwaukee Session, alternating between a tightly controlled warble and smoother, poppier approach.
The lead single from Bloodless seems to suggest further evolution. First, there’s the title: “Bovine Excision,” a rather off-putting name that fits the horror-tinged video more than the sound of the song itself. For the most part, it’s a lovely track that reminded me a bit of Wednesday’s gentler efforts — slice-of-life lyrics with alt-country vibes. But there are also just a couple curious production tweaks that sound like there’s something more coming on the full album.
We’ll find out whether that’s true as Samia drops more singles leading up to the release of Bloodless on April 25. In the meantime, tickets for her June 5 show at Turner Hall Ballroom go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. this Friday, Feb. 21, online and at the Pabst/Riverside box offices.
