Chris Smither
All About The Bones
Signature Sounds
Intelligent American Folk Swathed in a Cloak of Bayou Mystery and History.
Chris Smither’s twentieth album opens with All About The Bones and is full to the brim with Smither’s distinctive vocals and also fully primed with acoustic guitars, a fiddle and a haunting melody giving hints of the bayou and old New Orleans.
Support here comes by way of Zak Trojano (drums), Chris Cheek (saxophone), Betty Soo (harmony vocals), and David ‘Goody’ Goodrich (guitars, and producer).
Smither has been the real deal for decades, as honest as the day is long, and an incredible performer; the kind to hold an audience in the palm of his hand throughout a set.
Once heard he’s never going to be forgotten and you just have to catch him the next time he’s in your area. On record, he is, likewise, great company, usually writing most if not all of the material, with his stellar cover of Tom Petty’s Time To Move On here being a brave exception.
Digging The Hole also features ample amounts of sax, but a lot more of the regular, floorboard vibrating Smither vocals that we so love.
A fearless live performer and intelligent not only in his playing, that’s often as not, incredible, but his hypnotic grooves and wondrous textures are of a kind that keep listeners hooked until the very last note.
Still Believe In You is more somber than most here, with Smither singing,
‘when the sun goes down
my heart sinks again.
One thing I still believe in you
There are some that live
that will take credit for their survival’.
Weaving his words, like someone picking their way across a muddy field with a sax (beautiful solo) warming affair with great depths of emotion, sounding like some of Smithers’ Zen thinking put to music. Simply Majestic.
Calming the urge to move on incessantly If Not For The Devil has a tempered feel as it shuffles along most nicely. A dark and moody Blues as Smither eases along to the sound of a chugging rhythm as his throaty tones soothe the listener, not unlike good blended whisky. Apart from Smither’s own guitar work Goodrich likewise lays down some finely displayed notes too.
Calm Before The Storm speaks of how
‘easy does it,
let the good times roll’.
Sit back and just let the song take you wherever it wants.
Harmony vocals and swirling keyboard aid a splendid tune, that makes your feet tap on the floor as Smither with the help of Betty Soo’s ever effective harmony vocals, Chris Cheek’s effervescent sax combine to create a killer groove that makes hay in the sunshine. Oh, man, this guy is hot; and …. what a wonderful rhythm as Trojano and Goodrich get cooking, cool as you like music.
Down In Thibodaux has it all, infectious hooks complete with wonderful, story-telling reflective lyrics, and Bayou/New Orleans imagery awash in typical Smither warmth making it one to lift your spirit no matter what.
On In The Bardo Smither speaks of the closing to the day, and how the evening will be morning before long. Such the arrangements and gentle hues of it all you can feel the night fall.
It’s one of those songs the listener will forever be gaining new insights each time they listen to the beautiful lyrics.
Close The Deal is a dream like affair; gentle and coercive as Smither speaks of
‘standing on the corner,
but you didn’t show.
Nobody is playing by the rules.
What are you going to show me now,
is it real?’
Completion likewise has a mellow feel,
‘Its never easy when you don’t know how’
he sings in a Mystical manner on a song swathed in tinkling keyboards as he creates something of rare beauty.
The album closes with Tom Petty’s Time To Move On (there’s two versions, one a radio edit without his closing words) is a magical piece.
Like his previous Bob Dylan covers (there was a spell when it wasn’t a Chris Smither album if it hadn’t one) he adds to the song!
It contains more of that ‘in the groove’, live feel, with Smither’s busy work on foot board making the tune chug a-long at a merry lick, and there’s also fellow recording act Betty Soo lending harmony vocals; and of course, his wonderful guitar playing.
Only problem, it all ends way too soon.
Chris Smither is an unassuming master of his craft, despite being in his 80th year he still tours as hard as acts sixty years his junior; and shouldn’t be missed if he ever graces your part of the world.
Reviewed by Maurice Hope
Released May 3rd 2024
https://smither.com/
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https://chrissmither.bandcamp.com/album/all-about-the-bones
The Rocking Magpie 
[…] Chris Smither’s twentieth album is full to the brim with Smither’s distinctive vocals and fully primed with acoustic guitars, a fiddle and a haunting melody giving hints of the bayou and old New Orleans. Chris has been the real deal for decades, as honest as the day is long, and an incredible performer; the kind to hold an audience in the palm of his hand throughout a set. On record, he is, likewise, great company, usually writing most if not all of the material, with his stellar cover of Tom Petty’s Time To Move On here being a brave exception. Chris Smither is an unassuming master of his craft, despite being in his 80th year he still tours as hard as acts sixty years his junior; and shouldn’t be missed if he ever graces your part of the world. (edited from Rocking Magpie review) […]
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