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Music Review: Smither and Clark shine
09/22/2006 7:21 PM, AP
Guy Clark, "Workbench Songs" (Dualtone)
Chris Smither, "Leave The Light On" (Signature Sounds)
The cover photos accompanying these CDs focus on the artists' hands — leathery, wrinkled and grasping a guitar. The music confirms their deft touch.
Guy Clark and Chris Smither are smart songwriters with shot-glass voices and catalogs that go back more than 30 years. As Clark's "Workbench Songs" and Smither's "Leave The Light On" show, both are at the top of their game.
The sets offer plenty of sweet, mostly subdued acoustic picking. Smither's supporting cast includes multi-instrumentalist Tim O'Brien, while Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson are among those backing Clark. And on both discs, the material is excellent.
Smither's hilarious "Origin of Species" takes on intelligent design with references to paramecium and double helix. His rocking "Diplomacy" skillfully skewers Washington's warmongers, and "Father's Day" is a lovely ballad about his dad. He closes with three excellent covers, including Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" and the best version of "John Hardy" since the Kingston Trio.
Clark usually writes alone, but on "Workbench" he shares composing credit on nine originals with such writers as Thompson and Rodney Crowell, and the partnerships work. The opener "Walkin' Man" neatly blends Woody Guthrie and Chuck Berry. Clark offers a tornado song to rival Bruce Springsteen's recent gem. "Cinco de Mayo in Memphis" is as good as the title, and "Funny Bone" is even better — sweet, sad and funny.
With Clark and Smither, the singer-songwriter craft remains in good hands.
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