Farewell, stranger.
"I ain't evil," pleads Chris Smither. "I'm just bad."
I relate all too well to Smither's amorous moan on "Don't Call Me Stranger." Neither of us are reluctant to express life's difficult truths.
While Smither has been issuing albums since 1970, too many have featured fussy productions that get in the way of his memorable songs and exceptional guitar playing. Thankfully, the relatively sparse Time Stands Still, out today, avoids the pop trappings that have marred a few of his previous efforts.
Just as significantly, Smither's grizzled voice is more convincing than ever. Smither turns 65 in November. He's never been better.
See for yourself on his current tour. And this EPK about the making of Time Stands Still is fascinating.
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Trainspotter alert: With today's post, Smither joins Howard Iceberg and Ike Turner as the only artists to have been featured twice at There Stands the Glass. If you're keeping score, that's 823 posts over almost four years.
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Here's my love letter to Tesla.
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The Astounding Eyes of Rita is the wonderful title of the new album by Anouar Brahem. Get a taste here.
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"I think Ron Ron might be Kansas City’s breakout mainstream rapper," writes Jason Whitlock. I relish the rare occasions when I agree with the sports columnist.
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Kansas City Click: Matt Otto plays Jardine's on Tuesday.
5 comments:
The new Chris Smither is excellent. The eCard for the new recording is well designed too. Hard to believe that I have been listening to this guy for nearly 40 years, but it is the swear on The Bible truth. I'll keep listening as long as he keeps recording.
A friend of mine in Chi. loves Chris Smither, but I was underwhelmed by the live NO Jazz Fest CD he gave me. Still, I am gonna see him up there on 10/30, mainly cause I get in to town the night before Roky Erickson! Quite a weekend.
I first discovered Smither in the early '90s, BGO. I was shocked when I learned that he'd already been performing for 25 years!
BGO could probably confirm this, Rick, but I'm confident that the best way to catch Smither would be in an intimate venue when he's working in a solo-acoustic format.
I'd actually like to see him with a sympathetic combo behind him. I love the production on his new CD though I have not discovered who the backing musicians are yet. Who is/are playing the atmospheric electric guitars?
Guitar (and producer)- David Goodrich.
Drummer- Zak Trojano.
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