Into The Light
6 String Ranch, 2023
8/10
The Austin, Texas artist Matt Smith returns with a full band effort, where 10 tracks of very eclectic songwriting unfold with a whole lot of adventurousness and creativity.
The title track opens the listen with Smith’s gritty pipes alongside Dave Webb’s warm keys and Joe Morales’ dreamy flute amid the soulful backing vocals, and “Why Can’t We Have A Good Time” follows with Ernie Durawa’s lively drums complementing Mark Epstein’s animated bass via the rhythmic climate.
Halfway through, “Measure Of A Man” leads with bright flute, before Smith’s raw pipes mix with the soaring backing vocals for a nearly gospel spirit, while the funky “Make The Most Of Your Life” benefits much from Pete Sweeney’s scrappy drums and Smith’s meticulous guitar lines that showcase Charlie Tokarz’s glowing sax prowess.
Further along, the upbeat and rugged “A Change In Me” is a playful, rootsy album highlight that’s populated by Chris Peck’s skilled bass and Tony Perrino’s firm keys, and “Life Ain’t Easy (And Then Ya Die)” exits with plenty of southern swagger that’s dense, rich and melodic.
A very worldly listen that uses pop, rock, blues, funk, jazz and prog ideas to its advantage, Smith and company make each track here worth revisiting many times.
Travels well with: Dave Loveland- Dangerous Rhythm; Erik Dahl Ensemble- Everyone’s Too Sad For Everything