With “1000 Horses,” Bruce Smith becomes the latest warrior to rise above the pandemic and events of the last couple of years, delivering a fine follow-up to his previous effort, “Til The Wheels Fall Off.”
Bruce wastes no time here, opening with the turbo-rockabilly “Cambellton.”
“Take A Picture” was one of the songs Bruce selected when he appeared on the July 2nd There Once Was A Note, a poignant track inspired, in part, by his stepfather.
“I Fall Down” is a nicely atmospheric track, amply displaying the Springsteen and Knopfler nuances that Bruce employs so effectively.
“Satao” is acoustic-based, showcasing some fantastic violin playing by Hadyn Vitera, who was featured on “30 Days” from “Til The Wheels Fall Off.”
The title track is an amiable ramblin’ man workout. Above all else, Bruce is a storyteller, and each of his songs is a little snapshot in time that he brings to life with the musicians who have been a part of his craft for years.
“Venus Fell” is a relaxed stroll, once again opening the doors to Bruce’s many influences, all of them legends and heavyweights.
“See You In The Movies” is another barn-burner, perfectly illustrating how well Bruce paces his albums.
“Everything I Want” is one of the tracks that, for me, points most directly to the flavor and flow of the “Til The Wheels Fall Off” album. It provides a connection to his earlier work and an overall cohesiveness to his new tunes.
“Don’t Forget To Look Up” is a roadhouse, sawdust on the floor workout that heads the album into the home stretch.
The album ends with a rocker, “Late Night DJ,” an ode to those who keep music afloat on the airwaves. It’s a fitting capper to a great album.
1 Campbellton
2 Take A Picture
3 I Fall Down
4 Satao
5 1000 Horses
6 Venus Fell
7 See You In The Movies
8 Everything I Need
9 Don’t Forget To Look Up
10 Late Night DJ
Randy Caballero – keyboards
Conner Church – drums
Spencer Jarmon – lead guitar
Zeke Jarmon – bass
Bruce Smith – rhythm guitar and vocals
Alex Geismar – percussion
Matt Hubbard – harmonica
Hadyn Vitera – violin
Jeff Botta – background vocals
Jennifer Andrews Smith – background vocals
Bryan Austin – drums, Everything I Need
Jamie Pender – bass, Everything I Need
David Z & Eastside Flash – mix/recording, Everything I Need
Randy Caballero – producer
Bruce Smith – producer
Omar Vallejo – mix/mastering
Rich Bauer – engineer
Back Cover Photo – Jennifer Andrews Smith
Design – Joseph Salazar
Recorded/Mixed/Mastered – 512 Studios Austin, TX
lyrics available at brucesmithband.com
Copyright 2022