Sam Woolf Releases 'Pretend' EP (STREAM)

Sam Woolf, the fifth place finisher on American Idol XIII, is finally releasing his first EP to the masses.

"Pretend" is Woolf's arrival on the scene as a published singer-songwriter, as each track on the EP is written by Woolf himself, along with producer, engineer and mixer Danny Blume. But what can we expect from each track? Check out the liner notes, which explain the story behind each of the five songs on the EP, below. And then click the link to head on over to Google Play to stream the full album:

Sam wrote “Pretend” about an unattainable romantic interest. The song opens with Sam’s falsetto, reminiscent of a wind instrument, and features backing vocals by Cindy Mizelle.

At age 15, Sam wrote “What More Can I Say.” It was revised with Danny Blume for this EP. The acoustic version was selected for a featured performance at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. The strings were arranged by Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient Randy Woolf.

“An Old New Home” draws inspiration from Sam’s move to his grandparent’s home as a high school junior in order to secure a stable home life. The song also reflects his aspirations for the future. The song builds to an internal conflict in the bridge and then resolves into a positive conclusion.

“The Same” was originally written in 2013 as Sam grappled with a romantic interest in a girl who just wanted to be friends. The acoustic version generated positive comments from fans worldwide. Sam performed the acoustic version at the Berklee College of Music’s “Winners Showcase” in Boston.

“Close to Me” focuses on how people and events from Sam’s past are linked to his hopes for the future. It features backing vocals by Kurtis King and Cindy Mizelle that build subtly from the middle of the piece to the climatic finale.

Stream/Download: HERE