All About the Bones

American folk and blues singer Chris Smither marks his upcoming 80th birthday with All About the Bones, a moody and primal listening experience. The album is another that Smither has developed with longtime producer and collaborator David Goodrich. Born in Miami but based in Boston for several years, Smither conjures up Gothic New Orleans in an evocative album rich in mournful laments and baroque sensibilities, all conveyed with honesty and sincerity reflecting the lived experience. Smither’s carefully crafted lyrics (his songs have been covered by the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris), perfectly suited to his rumbling baritone, and propulsive finger-picked guitar take centre stage. Chiselled folk and blues at its best.