Shmuel comes from a long line of musicians who've made everything from down-home country to just plain rock-n-roll so when it came time to name his first album Shmuel says the the choice seemed obvious. These Roots That Bind Me is an intriguing collection of songs from a songwriter so young. Paying tribute in turn to his father, his grandfather, and his grandmother the album displays a lyrical maturity that betrays his age.

Of course the album also includes more common subjects such as longing for love and losing it but even these aren't quite standard fare. For instance in the song So Long Shmuel chooses an interesting vantage point from which to consider the quality of love. Opening with the line, "I died in my sleep last night" the song goes on to tell the story of a couple's love from beyond the grave. The result is a touching, if slightly romantic, look at what love can become when it lasts.