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CD46
Chris Smither
Live as I'll Ever Be
Hightone Records
Every so often you come across an artist who seems able to articulate all of your frustration and hidden sadness, reckless optimism and transient bliss. Chris Smither is such a performer. Live as I'll Ever Be sees Chris mining his dark experiences and reflections to produce a poignant, live album, loaded with meaning and bittersweet emotion.
Chris is a singer/songwriter/guitarist of rare talent. As a musician, he is consummate - his acoustic guitar work is mesmerising, sitting atop his relentless, foot stomp. His vocals are hot-wired to that dark place from whence his songs come. Live as I'll Ever Be boasts 14 tracks, gleaned from eight live performances, including two in Ireland, stretching back to 1996.
I am the Ride, with its insightful lyrics and vaguely menacing feel, was a favourite. The melancholy No Love Today is preceded by an intriguing introduction which sees Chris tell the story of a character from his childhood.
Live as I'll Ever Be runs for one glorious hour. Strictly speaking you couldn't call it blues in the purest sense of the word. Instead, the music is augmented by country and folk sensibilities. Play it long and loud.
Helen Farley
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