Sam Rappaport is a talented and affable singer-songwriter and musician who was born and raised in Los Angeles and now living in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. (He’s also a terrific writer, and you can read some of his work here.) He began his music career in earnest as keyboardist and backing vocalist of indie pop-rock band Gooseberry, but in early 2021, he released his first single “Till the Morning Comes” as a solo artist. He amicably left Gooseberry in May 2022 to focus on his solo career, and has since released a number of outstanding singles, as well as his debut EP Get Me Away From Myself, in November 2022. 

Sam’s mellow, understated music style draws from elements of adult contemporary pop, folk, rock, soul and jazz, and features thoughtful, relatable lyrics delivered by his smooth, pleasing vocals. I’m a big fan of his, and have previously featured him twice on this blog, first in November 2021 when I reviewed his wonderful single “Journeyman’s Ballet”, then in August 2022 when I reviewed “Easy to Love”. Thus far, two of his songs – “Journeyman’s Ballet” and “Dance for Me” – have appeared on my Weekly Top 30, with the latter ranking #68 on my 100 Best Songs of 2023 list. 

Now he returns with a beautiful new single “Bicycle Away“, his first new music in over a year. The song was produced and engineered by his frequent collaborator Lorenzo Wolff, mixed by Rocky Gallo and mastered by Mike Kalajian. For the track’s recording, Sam played Wurlitzer electronic piano and sang vocals, Alwyn Robinson played drums, Spencer Zahn played bass, Mike Haldeman played guitar, Jake Sherman played keyboards and synths, and Lorenzo handled additional drum programming.

About the song, Sam says “‘Bicycle Away’ traces the volatile seesawing of a relationship struggling to arrive at equilibrium. The song’s narrator acknowledges and laments his need for emotional growth, while yearning for an escape route.” It’s a wonderful song, with hauntingly beautiful instrumentation that gradually builds as the song progresses. I love the clarity and nuance of each instrument, and how beautifully they all come together to create a harmonious and captivating soundscape. The deep but subtle bass, crisp percussion and Sam’s sublime Wurlitzer notes are marvelous, and those wailing guitar notes at the end add just the right amount of drama to the proceedings. 

But for me, the song’s highlight is Sam’s warm, comforting vocals, which though low-key still manage to express a deep well of emotion. I love his voice, and could honestly listen to him sing the telephone book!

Let me go
Stop chasing, you're way too close
I'm breaking I know there's more
Cuz I'm empty and I need to grow
I know these words sound hollow as I've said them before

Cold water hits my eyelids
I remember 17
Wide streets for my escape from being seen

I'll bicycle away
I'll race against the sun as it cascades into the sea
I'll move beyond today
Stay close and promise when I push you away
Be honest when you hear that I say
I'm broken, tell me I need to grow
I know these words are just lines that we've read before
 
Cold water hits my eyelids
I remember 17
Wide streets for my escape from being seen

I'll bicycle away
I'll race against the sun as it cascades into the sea
I'll bicycle away
I'll move beyond today

The arresting video was created by and stars Kathleen Dalton and Sonja Petermann, co-founders of “Molar Movement Projects”, an artist collective rooted in intimate reflection of shared experiences and deep emotional cross-examination. In the past year, Kathleen and Sonja completed residencies with Moulin/Belle in Périgord Vert, France, as well as with Swale NYC on Governors Island, New York. In the video, the two perform an interpretive dance filmed alternately in a spare room and outdoors in woods resplendent with fall foliage, artfully expressing the conflict between emotional connection and estrangement described in the lyrics.

The sweet cover photo for the single is a photo of Sam riding his bike as a toddler.

Connect with Sam on Instagram and learn more about him on his Website

Sam’s music may be found on: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Amazon