Wild West: American Stories
Self-Released, 2026
9/10
Listen to Wild West: American Stories
The Americana legend Grant Maloy Smith takes on a significant project here, where a double album worth of songs and a hardcover book celebrates US history from the early 19th century and consists of all originals.
“Go West Boys” opens with a rich, rootsy appeal, where Smith’s distinct voice is met with frisky drums and thick strings, and “Voices On The Wind” follows with a unique warmth that illuminates the soaring vocals and emotive delivery.
"Wagon Train” resides closer to the middle and showcases Smith’s meticulous guitar and vivid storytelling as the setting builds into a lush album highlight, while “Elizabeth My Woman” presents gorgeous vocal harmonies in a heartfelt mood which emits so much grace.
Arriving much later, “Kill The Cowboys” is a fuller moment of timeless roots rock ideas that allow Smith’s inimitable delivery to draw us in with eloquence, and “Westward Dreams” finishes with the meticulous fiddle and banjo complementing the wordplay and many voices.
Smith handles guitar and keyboards across the album, and the excellent players alongside him document his exceptional brand of Americana that will always be relevant.
Travels well with: Matt Smith- …this is not ok…; Larry Beckett- Though We Have Only Love