rogueranters, meet colin smith

RogueRanters, meet Colin Smith.

Back in early June, I had the pleasure of watching his set down at Rockwood Music Hall.

While lyrically, some of his songs wreak of that overplayed coffee, sex, and cigarettes, blah, blah, blah, take your pills dear sentimentality, I’m pretty sure I’m probably the only person who feels that way about them. No one else, including the gaggle of females I was sitting next to, seemed to mind very much. Even I didn’t mind very much, which is saying something, because I am oh-so-jaded.

His vocals are refreshing, refreshing in that “almost-haunted” sort of way.

They’re so refreshing I decided to film a clip.

Watch the clip and appreciate the synergy between instruments and vocals, because at a super small, super-packed venue like Rockwood, it’s pretty damn hard not to have one always overpowering the other. (That place is packed like sardines, no joke.) It helps that he had a three week residency there to acclimate, but still, I was impressed. (On the night I visited, Rockwood had actually asked him back, so it was after his official residency had ended.)

And after you’ve checked out the clip above and decided if he’s your style, check out his Myspace, his website, and follow him on Twitter. Then, if he floats your boat, throw on your skankiest hippy outfit, head down to Rockwood on the Lower East Side tonight, and duh, become a groupie already.

Because after watching him, I seriously have to wonder why isn’t more famous.

And let’s be real, RogueRanters, what could possibly be hotter in MusicLand than an artist who is just on the cusp of something really big?

Absolutely nothing.

Enjoy!

*If you’re in the city tonight, he (solo) and his band, MrNorth are playing a double-header at Rockwood Stage 2 at 9:30 PM.

Update: The review below was added July 20th, 2009 @ 8:31 AM

An aside before I begin the review:

Let me be completely honest, RogueRanters. I have written this review with great hesitation. The process of review has been somewhat reversed-slash-skewed. Usually, I would review an album, tell you to keep a look out for an artist, and then, pending my live viewing of the artist, I would post footage and perhaps a blurb or two involving the artist. However, this is not the old music blog; this is RogueRanting, and so times are a’changin’. Given my health and the fact that I’m not always thrilled to be dealing with PR & press people (ironic, no?), the order may change. There will be times that I do not post an album review. There will be times where there’s no blurb with the actual artist, as in this instance. However, my standards have not changed, and I do not write “free passes” for any artist, regardless of association or lack thereof, and I will continue to review the music from a more personal stance than say, a magazine. This is music as I see it and as you see it; it’s a dialogue, a conversation. I encourage your participation, and thoroughly enjoy reading what you all have to say.

Now, I went ahead and wrote this review, because many of you have requested it, and I appreciate the support you all throw behind the artists I recommend and the support you put behind me. Some of you also figured that because I didn’t review the album, it was sort of like a “free pass” for an artist I knew. I don’t know Colin Smith. We’ve actually never met, but he seems lovely. I also sincerely appreciate that over the years, the blogs I’ve had (that have now been merged into this single one) have maintained a positive, supportive atmosphere that nurtures and appreciates creative minds. Like I always say, the quickest path to reaping the benefits of good karmic energy is to support the arts. So kudos to all of you.   Keep on keeping on.

Also, one last thing, to operate on full disclosure: when reading this review, you must take into account that I have the bias of not only having had the pleasure of seeing this artist perform live, but of reading your comments and email regarding him as well. All of this can only mean I will overcompensate and be even more scathing and blistering than usual. 

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Colin Smith The Wilderness (November 2009)

Credits HERE

When writing a review like this, for an artist I’m greatly excited about, two things have to happen for me to get it right. First, I have to write the initial review, and second, I have to wipe off my smile and put my cold, hard, analytical “bitch face” on and re-write the review. Why the “bitch face?” Because it’s hard not to let my excitement get in the way of what’s really going down between artist and listener on an album that I am wholly excited about.

So then, let’s not delay the inevitable any further.

Colin Smith’s first solo venture, The Wilderness, dropped last November. It’s now July of 2010. That means that I am listening to what he says has been a culmination of years of experience- only nine more months removed.

In music land, nine months, plus years of finding your footing, can be the difference between Kanye West’s 808’s & Heartbreak and Diddy’s poorly executed imitation album, Last Train to Paris. Nine months can be the difference between striking a nerve or striking out completely. Such is the fickle world of music with you masses. Luckily, for Colin Smith, the ideals and instrumentals behind The Wilderness appear impervious to trend and today’s floozy music culture. Which is good, because this is an independent piece that he will, no doubt, be peddling for awhile. It’s good for you, too, RogueRanters. This is not an album you will purchase and then discard six months later. You may put it aside, but eventually, it will rework it’s way onto your playlists and back into your heart’s rotation. (Was that not the cheesiest sentence I’ve ever written? But alas, it stills stands.)

The Wilderness is gloriously under produced on the majority of its tracks, most of which strike a folksy tone. This is not a fussy, overworked album. Here, the instrumentals compliment Smith’s voice and ensure that his vocals never play second fiddle. His vocals compliment the instrumentals in a way that neither overpowers the listener nor leaves them wishing for more. There are a few moments on the record, namely in “The Angry Song” where he doesn’t seem to quite have the same flow. But it is, after all,  an angry song with more of a backbone than the rest. Even then, the lack of congruity doesn’t hurt the album; so much as it gives it a human quality. One man can only sing about love, loss, booze, Jesus, and the shitty state of the world (“The Wilderness”) for so long before he gets angry anyways, right?

What are you supposed to make of all of this, RogueRanters?

My point being: Colin Smith is a vocalist, and a talented one that has managed to strike the right balance between rock and pop (yeah, a little bit) and folk, without ruining his reputation as a musician. (Didn’t you know, RogueRanters, being a pop musician is just so uncool?)

Notes from my first listen of the album:

It’s hard to tell if The Wilderness is either one really ambitious album coming from a guy who parades as the front man of the alt-rock band MrNorth OR if it’s an entirely safe album from a guy who fronts an alt-rock band and is looking for a broader audience.

What I am sure about: Colin Smith has laid down 10 immensely listenable tracks that put this album in rare company: the listen-throughs. You know, the albums you can put on and actually stand to listen through front to back, top to bottom.

Notes from my second listen of the album:

Three complex thoughts immediately popped into my mind.

#1 – Colin Smith is not the kind of vocalist you imagine singing one-off pop songs after a stint on American Idol. Nor is he operatic, so you could imagine yourself singing one of his songs in the shower, and at some point- because that’s what goes down when you’re scrub–a-dub-dubbin’, you’ll think, Screw Colin, I was born to sing this song. Flashbulbs? Groupies? I’m game. (But trust me, RogueRanters, if you’re voice is anything like mine, it’s more along the lines of audio-warfare: it will make civilians’ ears bleed.) This is a testament to Smith’s songwriting, because mere peasants don’t like songs they can’t sing along to without feeling like a fool. Well played on his part, even if unintentionally.

(Or is that considered playing it safe for a man with his voice? OR better yet, is it considered “softly” branching out for a man with Smith’s “harder” credentials?)

#2 – Colin Smith will (un)fortunately find himself in the same conversations as an artist like Gavin DeGraw. (He says they’re friends from the bar days.) Colin Smith is not Gavin DeGraw. He fronts a rock band and released this folksy gem while G.D. is an artist constantly striving to up the ante on his pop-ish image, hoping to gain credibility as a rock musician. (Remember now, RogueRanters, singing pop ain’t cool unless you’re Lady Gaga. As much as I respect G.D., it’s true.) The two appear, as of right now, to be headed in opposite directions.

#3 – The G.D. comparisons may be to Smith’s detriment, because hyper-loyal G.D. fans will (un)fortunately realize that Smith quickly takes a detour from the DeGraw’s nasal-y, almost static vocal range and (seemingly teenage-directed) love and drama sentimentalities. This is one of the characteristics that makes G.D. so popular. Colin Smith, however, spans quite the mélange of topics, from broken hearts to alcoholism to world peace and of course, coffee, sex and cigarettes. Oh, and don’t forget Jesus. He makes an appearance in The Wilderness as well.

Were you able to digest all of that, RogueRanters? It’s a lot to take in, but I know if I’m less than thorough, I’ll hear it from you. 

Anyways, after I gathered these three multi-pronged thoughts and jotted down a couple more notes, a new one lingered in the freshly groomed bed of flowers I’d mucked up that is The Wilderness: Colin Smith has left no stone unturned. Subject-wise, style-wise. There’s kind of a lot going on here. Whenever an artist with Mr. Smith’s experience (MRNORTH has toured for many years, put out a couple of albums, etc.) makes an a loosely tied record with no concrete, central focus (sound or mood-wise)- one that often relies on love, religious tones, and altruistic ideals to connect with listeners, but then also rings about boozing and spreading himself “too thin”- I wonder if he’s either gone a little nutters in the organization department or has decided to lay all his cards on the table.

So you see, RogueRanters, The Wilderness leaves a lot of questions. None regarding Smith’s talent nor penchant for penning striking lyrics, but more about the artist himself. Is he playing it safe or taking a risk? Is he a little unorganized or laying it all bare?

I, for one, found the album enjoyable. It’s a bit like a slow melting candle. First there’s the flame (“Love” and “Scratch”), and then it calms (“Organ in Your Chest”) and flickers (“Angry Song”) and burns out (“Spread Too Thin”). It’s more than enjoyable, actually. When something pretty, real pretty like “Organ in Your Chest” abuses the cliché “listen to your heart” mantra and I don’t hate it, but instead think it might very well be my favorite track, he is certainly doing something right, isn’t he? -Because I’m jaded.  I’m supposed to despise these sorts of things. (Listen to the lyrics on this track. Go ahead, have a listen.)

Now, I’m not going to completely break down the songs one by one—I feel this ruins the surprise element in a record, taints it even, but I will strongly encourage you to buy-slash-download the The Wilderness. Not because three tracks are Gavin DeGraw-ish, so you’ll probably like them,  but because I’ve given him the benefit of the doubt and decided that he’s probably taking a risk striking out on his own.

Because I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and wager that he’s not an organizational nutter; but laying it all out there.

And if he is laying it all out there, there is something highly commendable to be said for an artist taking his sweet, slow time to find his footing.

A couple of years is a long time to have The Wilderness stewing inside of you, don’t you think?

Conversation that happened between Keeg an I in our  in the midst of me writing this review, “Love” was playing:

Keeg: Hey, is this Gavin DeGraw?

Me: No, it’s Colin Smith.

Keeg: Huh, sounds kind of like him.

Me: That’s nice. It’s not him.

(A couple of tracks later, just after “Organ in Your Chest”)

Keeg: I like Gavin DeGraw.

Me: I do, too.

Keeg: Yeah, I like Gavin DeGraw better than this guy.

Me: Why?

Keeg: With Gavin, you always know what to expect. He never changes, you know?

Me: Yeah, but it gets old for me. Fast.

Keeg: Well I like it. He’s always predictable. It’s, you know, it’s Gavin.

Me: That’s nice. This guy isn’t Gavin DeGraw. I’m not even sure they’re really all that comparable.

(I turned the music down a bit, thinking he might not have liked it that much.)

Keeg: Well don’t turn it down. Leave it on. I kind of like this.

Me: (In condescending, all-knowing tone only a younger sister could have) Oh, trust me, you’re gonna love it. It’ll grow on you.

Keeg: (Laughs) You’re probably right. (Humming to music ensues. As does erroneous offbeat fingertapping.)

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