
Although he’s from Cape Breton, wrote Ashley MacIssac’s hit “Sleepy Maggie” and produced Natalie MacMaster, don’t expect any Celtic fiddles on Sampson’s second album. Unlike his debut, Stones, the singer-songwriter’s latest is a distinctly un-folky affair, owing more to the sensitive-pop of John Mayer than the Irish warbling of John McDermott. While Sampson shows undeniable compositional talents, this self-produced effort is marred by tacky vocal programming and other unnecessary studio effects.