In January 2020 Sam Lachow posted his first ever vlog-style video titled, “Drugs, Alcohol, and How I Got Sober.” In this video, Sam chronicles his long and tumultuous relationship with intoxicants and addictions. At the time of filming, Lachow had been sober for 175 days, but said he was still struggling and attending AA meetings almost daily. “I’m still learning and figuring this shit out every day,” said Lachow. This video and the accompanying single, “Lady Sunday” marked the end of a two year hiatus Lachow had taken from music, and public life in order to focus on his physical and mental health. From what Lachow describes in his Sobriety video it sounds like re-discovering his creative process with a sober mindset was one of the most difficult steps in his journey, saying,
“I had relied so heavily on drugs and alcohol to make music for so long that I didn’t know if I could do it sober… My writing process included a glass of whisky or vodka and a bag of blow. So I had to re-learn how to make art again with out that shit… [Thankfully,] that child like passion came back, it was a fucking miracle.”
Corduroy represents the body of work Lachow produced while getting sober, and is likely his most vulnerable and mature work to date.
There’s an interesting and deeply personal story told in Corduroy, It’s not told chronologically, but the pieces are all there for the listener to assemble if they so desire. For instance on the track “Chemical” Lachow says: