Steven R Smith - Cities

American multi-instrumentalist Steven R Smith has been releasing a
steady stream of solo records for well over a decade, as well as playing in
various improvisational groups including Thuja, Hala Strana, and most
recently Ulaan Khol. This music has ranged from sparse solo guitar
improvisations to Hala Strana’s reworkings of Eastern European traditional
folk tunes to the dense, psychedelic fuzz guitar workouts of Ulaan Khol.

On his latest full length solo release, ‘Cities’, Smith combines the
composed with the improvisational and the result is a beautiful and
desolate collection of songs evoking a crumbling landscape
reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s novel ‘The Road’ or the films of
Hungarian director Béla Tarr.

‘Cities’ was recorded in Smith’s Worstward Studios on analogue equipment
and features a wide variety of instrumentation, including fretted spike
fiddle, baritone psaltery, electric and nylon stringed guitars, cello,
melodica, electric piano and organ.

Musically, Smith’s work over the years could be summed up as a struggle
to contain a series of opposites: light and darkness, sorrow and joy,
despair and hope. It is this balance, or at least the effort to create or
maintain this balance, that informs ‘Cities’ as well. Smith has recorded for
numerous labels including Important Records, Catsup Plate, Soft
Abuse, Emperor Jones, Last Visible Dog, Jewelled Antler, Digitalis
and Darla. ‘Cities’ is his first release for Immune Recordings.

Tracklisting: Cities In Decline * Black Paper Scrim * The Paling Day *
Night Upon Us * Line To Line, Pole To Pole * The Road *
The City Gate * Valuska * Distance And Passing *
All Is One, One Is None, None Is All

Be the first to review this record. Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!