Chris Smither Albums (14)
'Leave the Light On'
Release Date 9/19/2006
Tracks 12
Label Signature
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What The Critics Say
Chris Smither doesn't do much here that he hasn't done throughout his long career, but there's no crime in consistent excellence. That career, launched during the Boston folk revival of the late '60s, has now encompassed a dozen albums, with a lengthy hiatus throughout most of the '70s and '80s as Smither battled the demons of alcoholism and addiction. He re-emerged in the early '90s as a wizened troubadour, equally adept at self-deprecating humor and heartbreaking balladry, and he continues that tradition on Leave the Light On. As is typical of all his releases, the album's 12 songs split the difference between folk and blues. Smither's propulsive acoustic fingerpicking, heavily influenced by bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins, is as unobtrusively impressive as ever. He's not flashy, but he plays exactly what fits each song. Multi-instrumentalist Tim O'Brien and neo-gospel acolytes Ollabelle contribute fine, understated accompaniment, but Smither is the real star here, wrapping his raspy baritone croon around his increasingly pointed, literate songs of hope and regret. Smither has a knack for selecting exemplary covers, and the sampling on Leave the Light On is no exception. Peter Case's forlorn "Cold Trail Blues," mentor Hopkins' harrowing "Blues in the Bottle," and Bob Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" (offered as a slow, meditative waltz) fit the ruminative, downcast mood perfectly. But his originals hold their own with the stellar covers, and, if anything, he continues to improve as a songwriter. The title track is an unapologetic refusal to grow old and quietly fade away, while "Shillin' for the Blues" probes the kind of 3:00-a.m.-stare-at-the-ceiling introspection that is equal parts despair and resolute conviction to carry on. "Origin of Species" is a hilarious sendup of the biblical creation story and the theory of evolution, while the rollicking "Diplomacy" is one of the few protest anthems of the Bush era that isn't full of sputtering, inarticulate invective, and that actually exhibits wit and insight: "We got some freedom, we got the iPod store/We got the savior, you couldn't ask for more/Take it or leave it, it's the deal of the day/And if you leave it, you get it anyway." That kind of incisive commentary fuels the entire album, and if the barbs seem more pointed than usual, perhaps they reflect the impatience of a man who has never suffered fools gladly, and who is doing some of his best work in what by all rights ought to be the twilight of his career. This very fine release is proof, if any is needed, that the light is still on, and shining very brightly. ~ Andy Whitman, All Music Guide
'Chris Smither Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop 3/14/03'
Release Date 10/5/2004
Tracks 17
Label Emusiclive
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What The Critics Say
Chris Smither settles into his distinctive combination of folk and blues with this excellent release. Although not pushing established boundaries, his rich, velvety voice and mature spoken-sung vocals convey a sense of truth and add depth to these introspective compositions. A bit of early Tom Waits creeps into his leathery vocals on a jaunty cover of Dave Carter's "Crocodile Man," but Smither is best defined by the fingerpicked folk-blues. Bonnie Raitt, a fan from way back, contributes harmony vocals and slide guitar to his gentle eight-minute version of Dylan's "Desolation Row." Some tunes are percussion-free, providing the singer's honey growl of a voice and clean acoustic guitar the most space to maneuver. Smither is loosest lamenting about his stolen car and its psychological effects on "Let It Go," a track that, with his muttering and grouching, seems to have been recorded in an impromptu moment. A gentle cover of Mississippi John Hurt's "Candy Man" -- the album's only unaccompanied performance -- shows Smither's rather evident roots, and his closing waltz-styled version of Buffalo Springfield's "Kind Woman" reveals less obvious ones. Accompaniment by right-hand man David "Goody" Goodrich, who plays keyboards, guitars, and even something called a pinewood diddley bo, subtly enhances nearly every track on this quiet gem. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Chris Smither left New Orleans in the mid-'60s for Boston, and quickly became part of a booming Cambridge folk scene that also included Bonnie Raitt, who went on to make his "Love (Me) Like a Man" a folk-blues standard. He eventually signed a deal with Poppy Records, which led to the release of I'm a Stranger Too! in 1970. Although he was just entering his mid-twenties, Smither's songs already had the insight and eloquence of some of the period's best singer/songwriters, yet with the roll of his Louisiana roots and a strong debt to bluesmen like Mississippi John Hurt, Willie McTell, and Lightnin' Hopkins. He also had a great ear for outside material, borrowing from writers such as Neil Young and Randy Newman. He went back a couple of years to Young's days with Buffalo Springfield for the innocence of "I Am a Child," as well as to a pair of more recent choices from Newman's (then just released) 12 Songs. The production on I'm a Stranger Too!, built primarily around Smither's intricate, bluesy fingerwork and prematurely mature baritone, works best the closer that it's pared to the bone. As great as Newman's "Have You Seen My Baby" (the source of the album's title) and his own "Love You Like a Man" are as songs, the full band arrangements here seem a bit thin in comparison to some of the more stripped-down cuts. Smither went on to successfully re-record these and a few more tracks from the record (along with selections from 1972's Don't It Drag On) 20-plus years later, but there's still a certain charm to these early versions. I'm a Stranger Too! is a portrait of an artist who stepped onto the scene fully formed, yet still with plenty of room to grow. Reissued in 1997 by Collectables as a two-fer with Don't It Drag On. ~ Brett Hartenbach, All Music Guide
'Live As I'll Ever Be'
Release Date 7/18/2000
Tracks 16
Label Hightone
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What The Critics Say
Chris Smither's Another Way to Find You was the live album that chronicled his career up to 1991. Live As I'll Ever Be takes up where that one left off, featuring songs from the four albums he released in the '90s. It was recorded over several years -- beginning in 1996 -- and captured performances in California, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Ireland. One mike recorded his large, unmistakable voice; the other was placed on the floor to pick up his steadily tapping and stomping feet. Many audience favorites were included, such as "I Am the Ride," "Slow Surprise," "Small Revelations," and "Up on the Lowdown." Two covers, Robert Johnson's "Dust My Broom" and Rolly Sally's "Killin' the Blues," were also recorded. There are entertaining song intros and bits of warm banter with the audience, too. Chris Smither is always at his best when he is performing live. In fact, he often says that he writes songs and records albums just so he can perform live, and not the other way around. Live As I'll Ever Be gives you a great front-row seat, any time you want it. ~ Ann Wickstrom, All Music Guide
'Drive You Home Again'
Release Date 3/16/1999
Tracks 11
Label Hightone
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What The Critics Say
Veteran Texas singer/songwriter Chris Smither sounds a bit like a Tim Hardin for the '90s, so it's no surprise to come upon a cover of Hardin's "Don't Make Promises" halfway through this excellent album. Smither's gravelly, instantly recognizable voice is a perfect fit for his pensive, sharply honed lyrics and his blues and folk-based music. Smither's 15 accompanists, who employ everything from sax to accordion to tuba, do a uniformly first-rate job with a varied program. Like Nick Drake and the Van Morrison of Astral Weeks days, Smither makes you feel as if you're in a dream. You may not want to wake up for a while. ~ Jeff Burger, All Music Guide
