Producers: Russell Sims & Frank Green
Label: Sims Records
Website: http://cdbaby.com/cd/vickypsmith
"Victory" is probably best described as a pleasant listening experience. It's not full of overly-heavy ballads, and Smith doesn't rehash a bunch of covers like a lot of independent artists have a tendancy to do. It sticks right in the middle of the country-gospel sound, not really pushing any boundaries, which is what makes it so enjoyable. Sure, it's predictable, but it's like your favorite pair of shoes - you just wanna put them on and be comfy.
One thing that I noticed about "Victory" is that nearly all of the songs are mid-to-uptempo. There are no "epic ballds," as I like to call them, which is actually probably a wise move on Smith's part; while her voice is enjoyable, I don't think she would be able to pull off anything to grand. She sticks to her comfort zone, and it pays off.
As for the songs themselves, she doesn't hit a homerun every time, but she makes quite a few strong base hits. "I've Got Victory" and "Nail It Down" are quite strong and have peppy, memorable hooks that stick with you. "When He Comes Down, I'm Going Up" is a fun song as well, sticking with the standard southern gospel sound. My favorite track is "When I Get Home to Glory," which is a straight-forward mellow country arrangement that fits Smith's voice perfectly.
That's not to say that there isn't a downside to relying on mostly-original songs. "Red, White, and Blue Ribbon," for example, comes across as pure cheese, and Smith really seems to be stretching her performance, as if even she is aware of this fact. "Shoutin' From The Hilltop" is your standard hook and arrangement, and doesn't really bring much in the way of originallity to the table.
Smith's voice reminds me of a cross between Kathy Mattea and LuLu Roman. She has a bright, smooth alto for the most part, but at times, she seems to try a bit too hard to be more soulful, and as a result, sounds forced at times, and relies a bit too heavily on her vibrato. She really excels when she backs off a bit and doesn't try to hard.
All in all, while not an earth-shattering album, Vicky P. Smith turns in a project that you can pull out and enjoy while relaxing on the porch or just cruising down the road on a sunny day.
Author: Kyle Boreing
| Author's Website: http://www.kyleboreing.com
Written: 03/03/2009
| 
Category: CD Reviews
Comments: 1
RSS Feed
| (What's an RSS feed?)
Ads Sponsored by Southern Spin
Hi, Vicky!
Page 1 of 1 Comment Pages
