Still On The Levee: 50 Year Retrospective

Chris Smither has been artfully refining his synthesis of folk and blues for 50 years with his trademark fingerpicked acoustic guitar and evocative sonic textures meshed with spare, brilliant songs, delivered in a bone-wise, hard-won voice. He is truly an American original.

The star of the collection is "Leave The Light On" as the song closes both discs. The first take is upbeat, while the second slows the tempo as Smither delivers a poignant duet with Kate Lorenz. It is a prime example of how his songs can be transformed.

From his first composition "Devil Get Your Man;" his songs meander from the philosophical, to the thoughtful, to the painful, to the psychological, to just a plain good old story. "Love You Like A Man," "Can't Take These Blues," "Small Revelations," "Train Home," "Song For Susan," and more take the listener on a reflective journey through his life and music.

Now in his mid-70's, Chris Smither has released an album of soulful songs cloaked in a blues style that has its roots in the Southern Delta. It is music worth exploring.