Don’t let Toronto’s Drew Smith fool you with either the title or the cover of his latest solo EP.
You see, or to be more precise, actually hear, Smith seems to have his tongue firmly in cheek here. This is no children’s fare here, nor does it have the lo-fi sound of bedroom pop that might be associated with the title and the cover.
Yet, there’s certainly one thing that Smith, also a member of Toronto bands Bunny and The Bicycles, does that has some connections with the best in bedroom pop, and that is some brilliant songwriting and melodies.
And no, no lo-fi production here, it is all lush harmonies and melody-oriented arrangements, where Smith picks up pointers from the greats like Brian Wilson and Todd Rundgren. To make the point even further, Smith involves a cast of great collaborators from the Toronto scene, including one of its current star songwriters and producers, Sandro Perri (also co-wrote “Up On A Hill” here).
From the opening ’70s soul-tinged “Dawn Of The Day,” to the incredibly calming melody of the closing “Recovered Phones,” Smith presents a showcase of how great cool, modern pop should sound like, leaving us with only one pertinent question – where’s more?
