The CLUB SMITH is a relatively new arrival in the North. Individually, members of the band grew up through the explosive Leeds Scene of the mid noughties playing funky party music and selling a lot of albums in Japan.
So it’s not surprising that this debut CLUB SMITH EP, with another planned for the summer, is dancefloor and festival ready. It has four duck's arse tunes - played and mixed to perfection. The Pope would dance to this.
Part of the secret is learning that a touch of the sad side does wonders for an upbeat approach. "Lament" is a beautiful tune, sung with authority in Sam Robson's soulful voice and produced within an inch of it very vigorous life by independent producer of the year, James Kenosha. It tears along and ends, amazingly on a huge a capella chorus. Perfect.
Three more tracks ring the changes in sympathetic styles and with just as much strength of character - Sam Robson's big voice and personality dominating and Vijay's drumming keeping the tempo fierce and the air clear. "Courtyard" shows off a range of electronic panache (Neil on keyboards and et ceteras) and On "Connected" Lee pumps in some super-mellifluous bass lines. "No Friend of Mine" at the end goes all stadium-anthemic, using the word metrosexual and offering a great platform for stage posing, crowd teasing and getting them singing along. This band has a harder edge and a deeper, crisper sound than its predecessors. Crowd pleasing, certainly, but with style and (crucially) the very good songs.
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www.clubsmith.co.uk
www.allsortedrecords.com
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