“PERSONAL, CONTEMPLATIVE MELODIES....SMITH’S MUSICAL CAPABILITIES COVER A WIDE SCOPE” – Boston Herald
’THIS TOWN IS ABOUT AS HEARTFELT AS AN ALBUM CAN GET, BLENDING FOLK, ROCK AND ELECTRONICA” www.raisedonindie.com
"ROUSING ANTHEMS AND RETRO GLAM ROCKERS" - Boston Phoenix
“STEVE SMITH IS WALKING THAT ROAD WITH STYLE AND A SOLID COLLECTION OF SONGS THAT PROVE THAT HE IS, AT LAST, GOING TO THE PLACES HE WANTS TO BE.” - SxSw.com
“SMITH’S STYLISTIC SHIFT IN SOUND MAY SEEM CUT AND DRIED ON THE SURFACE, IT ACTUALLY SERVES TO REVEAL THAT HE HAS BEEN A SONGWRITER AT HEART THE ENTIRE TIME.” - mvremix.com
"WITH AN ACOUSTIC BACKBONE, SMOOTH AND UNWINDING WITH SILKY HARMONIES” - Parasites & Sycophants
Steve Smith - Lead Vocal
Produced by Anthony Saffery
Steve Smith - Drums/Vocals/Percussion/Acoustic/Rhodes/Harmonica
Anthony Saffery - Guitar/Sitar/Bass/Moog
Terry Barber - Tenor Soprano
Gene Williams - Guitar (Late Nights)
Harvey Cotton - Bass (Smile)
Jamie Alywin - Piano/Rhodes (Restless)
Claudia Gonson - Backing Vocals (Comedown Queen)
Adam Taylor - Slide Guitar
Rob Swift - Decks and FX (This Town)
Jay Ungar - Fiddle (Smile)
Influences
The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Squeeze, Kate Bush, Wings, Thin Lizzy, Elton John, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, New Order, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Vangelis, John Carpenter, James Horner, The Cure, The Cult, Pearl Jam, U2, James Taylor, Glen Campbell, Chas 'n Dave', Dennis Waterman,
Steve Smith, the front man for the Grammy-award winning group Dirty Vegas moved to Boston in 2005 in search of a new beginning. Feeding off the musical inspiration of Boston, he began creating his first solo album, This Town. The project really started coming together when he joined forces with Anthony Saffery of Cornershop, who agreed to produce his songs. Together they booked the legendary Camp Street Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts (formerly called Fort Apache) and got to work.
On this album, Smith collaborates with an assortment of talents, including producer Anthony Saffery (Cornershop, The X-ecutioners), Claudia Gonson (The Magnetic Fields), Terry Barber (New York Symphony Orchestra), Jay Ungar (principal violinist for the James Horner Orchestra – Titanic, Legends of The Fall), and Rob Swift (Ill Insanity, The X-ecutioners, Quincy Jones). The result is a delightful fusion of sounds that blends folk, rock, electronica, and Steve’s inherent songwriting ability. View the album trailer HERE and check out the album’s lead track “Hit Me Up” (MP3).
This town draws the listener in from the start with an inspiring monologue by acclaimed actor John Savage (Deer Hunter, Hair), introducing a narrative that will repeat throughout the rest of the album. Life is tough. Or, as John says so plainly at the beginning of the album:
“Sometimes, being a genius is just getting up in the morning.”
Two bonus tracks are also included – a previously unreleased, acoustic version of the Grammy Award winning Dirty Vegas track “Days Go By”, and a new song called “Late Nights and Street Fights”, which was chosen to be the main title theme for the FOX TV hit series, Standoff. This Town is set for release on Smith’s own label, G.A.S. Records (named for his late father, George Albert Smith) on February 18, 2008.
Just sending you some fan love on your space =]. How's everything coming along? I hope one day you release 'unreleased' songs...that would be puuuurfect.
Right now, my fav songs are Smile and Universe! These songs are stuck in my head night and day, I just love, love, love them! Also, thanks for the DV insight...which is way cool, can't wait!
Dropping by to say "Hey"to my favorite artist, hope all is going well, and can we expect to hear something from Dirty Vegas soon? (back in the studio?!?) Your biggest fan in the mid-west. Jo (Kenny)
lovin' the track universe...god, I had to download that.
are you planning to release any singles from the album? give me the heads up 'cause i'll be sure to get them! i always listen to the album and people are like "who and what are you listening to?" they love your sound, hands down. you got us rockin' down here =)
have a great weekend and thanks for allowing us to download "universe"...
