Search - Emily Smith :: Different Life

Peaceful, melodic

Mathew W. Moran | 04/18/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"


Scottish folk singer Emily Smith is known as one of the world's leading Celtic singers and her album, "A Different Life," shows that that her reputation is well earned.



Simply arranged without the frenetic quality of some modern folk music, Smith's album is pleasant and peaceful, marked by beautiful arrangement and flawless vocals. Not only is her music authentically traditional, but in her mid-twenties Smith has the lyrical wherewithal to perform mostly original material. She was named BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2002 and is the only winner of the USA Songwriting Competition in 2005.



Emily Smith was raised in rural Dumfriesshire in southwest Scotland. Her album contains a strong sense of local history, with a number of traditional ballads.



"Dumfries and Galloway is often a forgotten part of Scotland and through my material, whether traditional or my own songs, I try to portray the beauty and diversity of where I come from," said Smith. "I love being able to sing a song and picture the exact setting of where the event took place."



You don't have to be Scotch or even a fan of Celtic music to appreciate music this soulful and melodic.

"

Not for Scots only

Art Dingley | Farmington, ME USA | 04/29/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I saw Emily Smith last week performing with husband, Jamie McClennan,at a small venue in Carthage, Maine. They were stunningly good. This was the CD she recommended most highly among those she had for sale. The CD captures her pure and deceptively simple accoustic style very well. Weirdly, what's missing from the CD is Jamie McClennan. His fiddle playing is extraordinary, even in a genre quite populated with virtuoso fiddlers. He is perhaps the best I've heard. He's a very good guitarist and lends a hand on backing vocals quite well. The album has the usual Celtic themes of shipwreck, treachery, thwarted love, and death-before-dishonour, but Smith makes it all fresh, accessible, and very up-to-date. You don't have to be a Talisker-swilling fan of Celtic music to love this album."

Extraordinary vocals

CJMoon | Virginia Beach VA | 04/06/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We saw Emily Smith and her husband Jamie McClellan last night in Virginia Beach VA and were overwhelmed by their passion for traditional Scottish ballads and their joy at sharing that passion with their audience.

Emily's vocal's were extraordinary - with the clear tones reminiscent of Alison Krauss. We were delighted to find that Jamie's skills on the guitar, fiddle, piano and pipe matched Emily's vocals and blended delightfully with her acordian and keyboard playing.

We bought both this CD and her newest release "Too Long Away" - which contains most of the pieces they played in concert. We highly recommend both her CDs and live performances to anyone who loves crystal clear vocals, haunting ballads, and flawless blends of modern and ancient Scottish/Celtic harmonies."