Jesse Smith, a gentleman with a band, is a total retro. Their self-titled album is an excercise in stlye. This album sounds like it was recorded in 1979 on Stiff Records. And I didn’t know any better, I’d be totally fooled. After the first listen I wondered (and I still haven’t figured out) how they were able to draw such a convincing ’70s sound. Props to the producer Dave Rahn (from a little known Atlanta band Carbonas on Goner Records). And then you start noticing that Smith has a songwriting talent that can actually stand head to head with all those great works of Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric, Clive Gregson, Elvis Costello…
