Friday, April 16, 2010

Reviews:: Christopher Smith The Beckon Call

Before I started hitting the keys in front of me this morning, I had planned on talking about the benefits of consistency and how Justin Rutledge plays off of that comfort I feel when I hear his voice and guitar. I'll still venture down that path closer to the release of his new record, but today searching for consistency felt more like complacency and I wanted to write about something that stood out.

Standing out from the crowd isn't what you'd probably associate from Vancouver's Christopher Smith, a hushed bed/bathroom (and beyond) artist that prefers emotions and echoed whispers to energy, burst and tempo. His songs sound like isolation. Introspective glimpses into his soul that eventually get carried by subtle, but his tasteful arrangements would be just as powerful if Smith never sung a word.

It's almost fitting that we all probably know a Christopher Smith, not only by name but by the stories he tells. The Beckon Call is full of pain; Smith, like so many of us, has been run over by love and can't get past some of the most most hurt filled days. The sad clown is a common personality for song writers, but Christopher refuses to close himself off or lose hope. The optimism and desire to find love again that keeps him going also keeps the record moving and helps Smiths chords turn heartbreak into something heart warming. At just the right time Smith uses airy falsettos that soar over the melancholy and force you to smile through the darkest moments.

Check out his great snowglobe video for the lead single, Gently, Gently:

Christopher Smith - Gently Gently from Boompa Records on Vimeo.

His previous two EPs (Gently, Gently and Keepsake) are available now (a track from each are on The Beckon Call) and offer a perfect introduction to this talented songwriter while you wait for his debut full length to hit the streets on May 11th.