culture. ish. page two

I fell in love with Smith’s debut album One Moment More (2004) from the first notes of Come to Jesus. Her beautiful voice draws in the listener to a bigger story. While her earlier work focuses on early stages and elementary questions of spirituality and relationships filled with angst you can hear and feel, on this sophomore album she matures both lyrically and musically. These songs are more reflective, the pace gives the sense of an open space to reflect: “The edge of love, like a knife/Shimmer shines when it hits the light/Just like that it’ll change a life/And it makes time stand/It makes time stand still” (Edge of Love). It has taken me longer, but I have come to appreciate these new songs.

On this album she goes deeper into issues of spirituality: “Bird on the telephone wire/Come down and sing to me/Have you heard from my Father/have you any news to bring/I know I’m not the only one asking/Among wandering souls down here/Can you shout it from the highest peak/Or at least whisper it in my ear” (I’m Not the Only One Asking), she also gets more personal singing about her childhood home on Long Island and on the title track, remembering her adoptive parents who were both taken by cancer within 3 years of each other: “There my father/Preached at the church/On the corner of old Nichols Road/He raised four children in a green house/We are all well/And now we’re all grown.” She is never trite in trying to make sense of life and human brokenness, rather she lets the questions and thoughts linger.

Long Island Shores stays closer to the folk/country roots, toning down the electric guitars of her first album, in favor of an acoustic guitar, strings, and banjo, she also adds a great duet with Buddy Miller (What if the World Stops Turning), and has moments of hushed tones as she sings gentle lullabies (Peace of Mind).

While this album is not love at first listen, these songs are more like a friendship that develops.

Labels: gpv, mindy smith, music