Yup. It’s summer again. Only here in London it may as well not be.
You know that sense of melancholy that comes over you when you are out in the rain but then you stick a new album on and everything is just fine? You may even start to enjoy the rain soaked into your pants because of it.
Zak Smith‘s self titled debut was listened to in this vein amidst sodden under garments and I have to say, the two mile walk home in the rain was worth it to hear a body of work all the way through that recalls staple artist such as Springsteen and Costello but can up and leave that erritory in an instant to more modern and daring dynamics.
‘Cynthia‘ could be a take from Springsteen‘s ‘Nebraska’, whereas ‘Doomed Youth‘ could be a latter day Shins songs, both drenched in good old rock and roll but with a refreshed energy and slick yet dirty production.
The gem in this record though, and that really sums up the album beautifully is the delicate and big hearted ‘A Little Lost Cause‘ that starts out like ‘Thunder Road‘ and rolls on like ‘Against The Wind‘, all the while being carried by Smith‘s gritty and emotive vocals.
Zak Smith can sure write a belter but it’s the lighter moments that really make this special.
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Post by TR Wicks
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