Mindy Smith
Mindy Smith's "Tin Can"
“Mindy Smith,” Mindy Smith (Giant Leap/TVX)
Many artists frontload their releases with the best songs at the beginning. A few finish strong, and many others have peaks and valleys throughout their releases.
Yet singer-songwriter Mindy Smith has a distinct summit in the middle of her new “Mindy Smith,” with three tracks stringing together for a remarkable stretch. And for an artist who has been kicking around for a decade on the verge of a significant breakout, this might be her moment.
It’s not like the Nashville-based New York native (and former Knoxvillian) struggles mightily on the rest of her self-titled project; her songs and her execution are solid enough, if sometimes a bit generic.
Smith enchants early on with wistful longing and great melody as she makes a call to go “stepping out” on the track “Pretending the Stars.” And late on “Mindy Smith,” she effectively channels a lounge singer on “Cure for Love” and lands a solid punch in the swagger of “When You’re Walking on My Grave,” singing, “Stone cold, you left me for dead.”
However, Smith — whose country-rock stylings and youthful soprano put her somewhere between Shawn Colvin and Sheryl Crow — achieves a clear yet diverse voice on the fourth, fifth and sixth tracks.
Her sometimes-too-fragile vocal might get lost elsewhere on “Mindy Smith,” but on the drinking-woman’s pity party “Don’t Mind Me,” she’s the little damaged soul stealing thunder from the firestorm of bluesy electricity: “My hell’s breaking loose, and I don’t know what to do/So don’t you come for me.” On the subsequent romper-stomper “Tin Can,” she routinely flips her voice like a fluffy aural pancake in a downhome kitchen. Then Smith devastates with the waltzing, pedal-steel-flavored “Everything Here Will Be Fine,” a tender and heartwrenching farewell to a dying mother. (Smith’s mother passed away in 1991.)
If that track doesn’t put a lump in your throat, nothing will.
Rating (five possible): 3-1/2
- |
Comments » 3
altamaha writes:
Just listened to "Tin Can." Nothing wrong with it, but it merely sounds like a regular country song. I also listened to snippets of "Don't Mind Me" and "Everything Here Will Be Fine." Again, they sound like typical country fare. If the 4th, 5th, and 6th tracks are supposed to be the hat trick, well, the rest must be positively snoozeworthy. ;)
ihatebarefeet writes:
This here is a sexist review, Chuck. You should be ashamed of yourself! I will review your review. It sucks and I give you 0 stars.
ihatebarefeet writes:
I think the least impressive reviews involve sexist references when it comes to a woman and raw emotion in music. This review loses any clout when as the writer chose to pull the "woman-pity party' card. Further more, as a review, this one is un-impressive to say the least and to call it pathetic is an understatement.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.