Chris Smither settles into his distinctive combination of folk and blues with this excellent release. Although not pushing established boundaries, his rich, velvety voice and mature spoken-sung vocals convey a sense of truth and add depth to these introspective compositions. A bit of early Tom Waits creeps into his leathery vocals on a jaunty cover of Dave Carter's "Crocodile Man," but Smither is best defined by the fingerpicked folk-blues. Bonnie Raitt, a fan from way back, contr   [ read more ]

CD $13.28

Following two releases for Poppy Records in the early '70s, as well as a third recording that never saw the light of day, Chris Smither finally returned in 1984 with It Ain't Easy. Armed simply with guitar and voice, Smither delivers a dozen tunes (14 on the CD reissue) that embody the best tradition of blues and folk. Whether it's his originals, a standard like "Glory of Love," or material by the likes of Randy Newman, Chuck Berry, Mississippi John Hurt, and Howlin' Wolf, {$Smith   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

CD $13.28

CD $13.28

Veteran Texas singer/songwriter Chris Smither sounds a bit like a Tim Hardin for the '90s, so it's no surprise to come upon a cover of Hardin's "Don't Make Promises" halfway through this excellent album. Smither's gravelly, instantly recognizable voice is a perfect fit for his pensive, sharply honed lyrics and his blues and folk-based music. Smither's 15 accompanists, who employ everything from sax to accordion to tuba, do a uniformly first-rate job with a varied program. Like {$N   [ read more ]

CD $13.28

All the elements of Chris Smither's distinctive style are here: passionate vocals, his cool songs, and some covers. This is a NAIRD award winning album. ~ Richard Meyer, All Music Guide

CD $11.38

Chris Smither doesn't do much here that he hasn't done throughout his long career, but there's no crime in consistent excellence. That career, launched during the Boston folk revival of the late '60s, has now encompassed a dozen albums, with a lengthy hiatus throughout most of the '70s and '80s as Smither battled the demons of alcoholism and addiction. He re-emerged in the early '90s as a wizened troubadour, equally adept at self-deprecating humor and heartbreaking balladry, and he continues that t   [ read more ]

CD $17.08