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Performer: Chris Smither
Artist: Bonnie Raitt
Engineer: Tom Corwin; Mark Thayer
Producer: David Goodrich
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel includes: Chris Smither (vocals, guitar, sound effects); Anita Suhanin (vocals); David "Goody" Goodrich (acoustic guitar, slide guitar, high strung guitar, banjo, mandolin, piano, reed organ, bass); Bonnie Raitt (slide guitar, background vocals); Mike Piehl (drums). Personnel: Chris Smither (vocals, guitar, background vocals); Anita Suhanin (vocals, background vocals); David "Goody" Goodrich (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, piano, reed organ); Bonnie Raitt (slide guitar, background vocals); Richard Downs (horns); Mike Piehl (drums, cymbals). Audio Mixers: David "Goody" Goodrich; Mark Thayer. Photographers: Abigail Seymour; Carol Young ; Thomas Petillo. Unknown Contributor Role: Chris Smither. 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, contributes harmony vocals and slide guitar to his gentle eight-minute version of Dylan's "Desolation Row." Some tunes are percussion-free, providing the singer's honey growl of a voice and clean acoustic guitar the most space to maneuver. Smither is loosest lamenting about his stolen car and its psychological effects on "Let It Go," a track that, with his muttering and grouching, seems to have been recorded in an impromptu moment. A gentle cover of Mississippi John Hurt's "Candy Man" -- the album's only unaccompanied performance -- shows Smither's rather evident roots, and his closing waltz-styled version of Buffalo Springfield's "Kind Woman" reveals less obvious ones. Accompaniment by right-hand man David "Goody" Goodrich, who plays keyboards, guitars, and even something called a pinewood diddley bo, subtly enhances nearly every track on this quiet gem. ~ Hal Horowitz

Uncut (11/03, p.109) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...A masterclass in deftly-picked country blues guitar....Warm and wise in equal measures..." Living Blues (9/03, p.90) - "...A typically eclectic Smither set....On the vaguely British-sounding 'Never Needed It More', he casts himself at the mercy of fate with a true believer's courage and a Beat poet's irony-honed wit..." Mojo (Publisher) (10/03, p.114) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...This ruggedly beautiful installment reveals a new way forward..."

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