Mindy Smith’s new self-titled album finds her moving back to
her roots. She delivers the music in a way that is truly her own. It is a rare
quality to be able to exude this kind of passion so overtly. However it is
natural for Smith, the emotions of each song rise up from inside of her, and then overtake the listener
like a Geyser. For example, on the Blues and Soul infused “Don’t Mind Me” she
expresses a loneliness that she needs to experience and work through. It is
ironic, but while loneliness is painful, the words of others aren’t always the
best help, healing must start from within. The album is full of such brutal honesty.
The message is delivered in many forms. There is the upbeat Country-Swing of “Tin
Can”, melodic mid-tempo songs like “Pretending the Stars”, and more mellow and
atmospheric songs like “The Devils Inside”. The latter song says ”Those devils
inside, those demons you hide, they keep your angels inspired. Thank God for
the devil’s inside”. When an artist can combine such deep and thoughtful lyrics
with careful musical craftsmanship the result is usually a masterpiece. That is
certainly the case for Mindy Smith’s current project.
The album opens with an excellent but more radio friendly
song “Closer”, which is in rotation on CMT. I just hope fans and listeners dig
deeper than their TV screens. The young songwriter, who took the world by storm
with her rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and followed it up with her own
highly acclaimed song “Come to Jesus”, has recovered the raw emotion and
spirituality from her early recordings and created the defining masterpiece of
her career.
