Kelley Smith – Flowers
This is Ms. Smith’s sophomore album & with her quirky yet appealing voice, she unravels emotive tales of her elders & children, universal sorrows & love. In the opening song, “Little Match Girl,” her intonation & phrasing echo the late Townes Van Zandt as she narrates the lyrics. Good stuff.
While not as crafty on the guitar as Joni Mitchell, Kelley’s guitar picking is admirable. The songs are plaintive & personal. “Open Hands” is another simple but poignant turn. Not too folky, but with just the right amount of singer-songwriter to sparse accompaniment. There are 10 various Flowers (Dropped Nov 6/Liatris Records/39:09), produced & recorded in St. Paul, MN by Adam Krinsky & Kelley. The showcase is laid-back, with fine narratives & warm playing.
Perhaps the only criticism is that Ms. Smith (vocals/steel & nylon string guitars/piano/banjo) needs to develop a more distinctive form. Right now, she sounds good but far too consistently mellow, with little snap between songs & they’re good songs. The pacing needs to be better. She could develop into a Carole King/early Carly Simon songstress, which would be an enduring route. None of her material is mediocre. But many are too melancholy in tempo.
“Aurora” is a beauty. Her voice is a little juvenile for it in this take. No matter. A bit more energy in spots would add color. “There’s a fire in your eyes…” was delivered with no spark where those words particularly cry for more vocal emphasis. “Down By the Water” adds a banjo, which is wise. Kelley’s voice is far more “friendly” in this song, but the song never leaves the ground. It taxis. It moves. But it needs more fuel, more brashness, or the violin will lead the song down a church-hymn row. Kelley’s voice is often excellent; her narrative is rurally effective & has an Appalachian sweetness.
With a song like “Left Side of the Bed,” Kelley treads into Iris DeMent/Dar Williams territory & she’s quite good. At least her performance is void of showboating & loaded with emotionalism. Her intonation on this lyric is perfectly delivered, believable & sound.
Ms. Smith is a disciplined artist. She needs to accentuate more in spots. The songs are well-written, but an eclectic set. Not many are mainstream. There are some exemplary tunes (” Lydia “). The final song has an Emmylou Harris, if not Fairport Convention & Steeleye Span sparkle. A fine traditionally sounding folk song (“Come Down Oh Maid”). This has luster, buttermilk, straw bales & spring rain in it.
Highlights – “Little Match Girl,” “Aurora,” “Down By the Water,” “Left Side of the Bed,” & “Lydia,” & “Come Down Oh Maid.”
Musicians – Ariana LaPlant (violin/bgv), Jed LaPlant (guitar) & Kathryn Severing Fox (violin).
Single insert with lyrics included. B&W image courtesy of Kelley’s Facebook gallery. CD @ Bandcamp & https://www.kelleysmithmusic.com/