David Smith

David Smith Biography

Born in Philadelphia, David was introduced to music and musical culture at a young age.His families' home was a congregating place for a number of artists and musicians and David would often fall asleep the sounds of music and voices emanating from the downstairs. Growing up he studied piano and guitar and spent hours listening to his father's extensive record collection. Eventually his interest turned toward songwriting. He wrote the material for and fronted several popular bands before creating Standing Wave.They recorded their CD "Shine Brighter" with Grammy nominated producer/engineer Tim Stroh at the Stepbridge Recording Studio.The band was booked by the William Morris Agency and played extensively across the U.S. as well as touring with various well known bands.They attended South by Southwest and a number of music festivals and conferences. Things began to come unglued when their agent at William Morris Agency moved into a new position and the rigours of life on the road eroded the interpersonal relationships within the band. Soon after, David began writing the material for his first solo effort;"Fastest Machine". Working with British producer/musician Simon Widdowson,(the Decemberists), the two created a stunning yet understated piece of work. The CD has recieved numerous accolades from reviewers in Europe and North America. Since, David has continued to write and perform and has been to chosen to showcase at regional songwriting conferences.He is currently compiling songs and making plans to record his second solo release. Though hardly a superstar collaboration the result might make you think otherwise.The overwhelming effect of Fastest Machine is subtle.But more like a subtle hand grenade.Indieworkshop.com This is a truly fantastic CD.From start to finish this is 35 minutes with none wasted. Poignant lyrics.Really dig the voice. Dreamy...Ethereal,yet very grounded and strong. Every sound seems to be in the right place and never overplayed.All I had to do was pop it in and go along for the ride. Steve Allat-Muses Muse Mesmerizing.It's a bittersweetly seductive album,filled with songs covered in the scent of tired urban sighs coated in the dust of an aching midwest.Filled with an almost abstract sense of loss,Fastest Machine sounds like gazing into a blazing desert sun,the deserted remains of an Edward Hopper gas station the only signs of a lost civilisation.Certainly one of the finest finds of the summer if not the year. Alistair Fitchett-Tangents A gloriously understated,emotional treat from the U.S. midwestern heartland.It's steeped in experience,loss,sadness and a warm grace...simply captivates from start to finish.The title track is insistent and hypnotic,with flecks of piano and a further ambient patchwork.It's a lovely yearning gear,vaguely reminiscent of early bowie...Elsewhere ghosts of recent unsung heroes flit in and out of Smith's muse.Both the pretty but somber "Losing Ground"and especially the emotionally blasted"Signal"recall Mark Kozelek,while the downhome acoustic picking and gentle close miked vocals of "Hopelessly Misunderstood"and the wistful postscript of "Just A Phase"summon (favourable)thoughts of Elliot Smith.The backdrops and vision are very much David Smith's own,though,and with Widdowson's intelligent,sympatico production he's made a great debut that keeps trickery to a minimum and shoves the emotional impact to the fore.Coming seemingly out of nowhere,"Fastest Machine"heralds the arrival of a bona fide new talent.Tim Peacock-Whispering and Hollering I couldn't pull myself away from this music.It's powerful.Complex,seductive,and unlike anything I've heard before.Jennifer Layton-indiemusic.com Smith seems to fit into a simliar category with Joe Henry,Lisa Germano,early"E"(pre-Eels)Nick Drake and Elliot Smith.Beautifully flowing chord structures of acoustic guitar,drums and bass,textured wonderfully with various atmospheric background sounds.David Smith is a major new talent bettering most of the new troubadors by leaps and bounds.George Benett-Musictap.net Fastest Machine is available at CD Baby.com and Miles of Music.com.