Roland K Smith – EP Review

I was fortunate enough to be asked to do the artwork for his EP – if you want more proof that he’s awesome, BRAG mag gave it Indie Album of the Week! Good stuff. The EP is available at Red Eye Records (66 King St, Sydney) with more stores to follow… stay tuned!

Here’s some reviews:

BRAG review

Roland K Smith, former lead singer of Sydney band Walrus, has recorded a stunning collection of songs for his debut EP. He’s left the heavy rock of Walrus behind for a strong country influence. He works well within this genre. His self-titled debut is nothing if not authentic. There are whisky stains and horse hooves all over the music.

Despite the signature country sound of the record, there is still a very Australian undercurrent to these songs. They reminded me of The Go-Betweens circa Tallulah when violinist Amanda Brown had joined the band. Cecilia Palmer, a relative unknown, does Brown’s job here and she is true and exciting, elevating the songs to a higher place, somewhere they might not have been without her delicate instrumentation. That’s not a slight against Roland. The quality on this collection was never heard on any of the Walrus releases. This is of another class. The song writing is strong, traditional and thoughtful. Smith’s voice is a real asset too. There’s a pissed off resignation to his inflections and he does it without ever raising his voice one. He screamed himself silly on the Walrus records. He’s much more effective here.

It is the six minute closer ‘Too Many Times’ that really confirms Smith’s greatness though. This is the country album the Pixies never recorded. It is of Nashville standards. Roland K Smith is Australia’s answer to Ryan Adams. He has the potential to go that far too. He’s got the talent, he’s got the will and he’s got the way. Watch him as he soars.

Sam Twyford-Moore -The Brag 02/06/08

Drum Media Review

Walrus were one of the many bands in the ‘close, but no cigar’ category, with good showings in triple j’s Unearthed and the like but never quite converting to widespread success. Smith was the singer of said combo, now in solo guise. This is of the classic, mostly-DIY indie style (girlfriend on backing vox, her cousin on violin…), with a not untypical – but at least admitted – debt to Dylan. He writes songs of an honest sincerity, which would probably be more realised if someone saw fit to stump up some cash.

Ross Clelland – The Drum Media 03/06/2008