Album Notes

Darren Smith has found the hard-to-find, that sweet mix of the timeless and the latest, on his new solo record, Last Drive (Crafty Records). A longtime member of the Seattle band Straw Dogs, Smith has put together a collection of 10 amazing story songs.

The very first review, from Ryan Hoffer of Shut Eye, glows: "This is one of those albums that plays from start to finish without the slightest inclination of disinterest or impatience. This is what Nickel Creek might sound like if fronted by David Gray." The title track builds from a road-weary plea to a kicking rumble that begs for one more turn at the wheel. And the lead track, "Dogtown Mines," starts loud and lean in its look back at one man's fruitless search for love and riches: "I left on a line with the hope I'd find/My riches in the hills of the Dogtown Mines." By the time the chorus hits, you feel the "heartache and lost souls," yet somehow the infectious melody and band make it all feel good.

On each track, Smith's voice and guitar work are up front where they should be, plaintive and yearning, determined to be heard - no, listened to - as he recounts lost adventures, fearful returns, and the relentless pursuit of the truth in love. Backed by a solid band, Smith has also brought in guest musicians to fill out the songs with pedal steel, dobro, mandolin, and even accordion to add a perfect old-timey flavor in all the right places.