“Haunted Heart,” by Sam Llanas
The first of multiple promised 2026 singles from former BoDeans frontman Sam Llanas proves the helpfulness of long-term memory. It was in the 1980s that he heard fellow local music maker Paul Cebar remark during a foggy, rainy evening that it was a perfect night for a murder.
It took Llanas a while, but Cebar's remark has at last become inspiration for a solid tune. Perhaps thankfully, Llanas doesn't sound so much to be going on about bloodshed as romantic desperation. The fervid jangle behind Llanas' vocals recalls myriad good things about a gamut of acts running from Bruce Springsteen to the Gin Blossoms. Whether Llanas' artistry nowadays fits into any radio format for scene may be up for debate. With “Haunted Heart,” however, he sounds to be following his muse to productive enough ends to whet one's appetite for what else he has in store for the remainder of the year.
