By: Sadie Tresnit
When did you last experience the joy of something homemade? For me, that moment was weeks ago with the release of “vera” on Bandcamp. This first album by my favorite boxer, an alias of my friend Sam Smith, draws inspiration from some of my favorite bands. Impressively, it was recorded and released wholly independently. Holding the limited-edition cassette (one of twenty-six!) in my hand is a nice reminder that truly indie music still exists. Since I first opened the package, the album has been on repeat in my room. Naturally, I sat down with the genius behind the music to ask a few questions about its background, inspirations, and production.
The eight-track album, released on September 24, is comprised of charmingly lo-fi pop music perfect for a rainy day. Bands like Of Montreal, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Olivia Tremor Control, all of whom started out recording music independently on tape machines, inspired Smith in this project. Other inspirations include the Beatles, the Microphones, Animal Collective, Eric’s Trip, Pavement, Guided By Voices, the Apples in Stereo, and My Bloody Valentine — “too many to name!” After getting a four-track cassette recorder earlier this year, Smith got to work.
With the exception of two tracks (we’ll get to that later), the entire album is self-written, a goal Smith had had since middle school. “I try to be very stream of consciousness when I’m writing, avoiding any mental barriers or thoughts of, like, self-doubt or ‘that’s too weird’ or ‘that doesn’t make sense,’” he says. In this regard, he’s inspired by Steven Malkmus of Pavement, “where the lyrics don’t necessarily make sense” but still portray a certain feeling. In practical terms, Smith comes up with his music and lyrics separately and then “mashes” the two together.
Smith, who is local to the central Oregon area, chose to record the album independently in order to be truly free of restrictions. “This way, I can have complete control, which allows me to indulge in whatever weird ideas I might have,” he explains. Recording analog allowed him to explore a new hobby and experiment with finding his sound. Though this method was harder than recording digitally, Smith was able to use it to his benefit. “Recording to tape encourages you to do things in as few takes as possible — because you can literally degrade the tape if you keep rerecording parts! There are so many mistakes all over my album, but I really think that mistakes add character,” he said. “Recording on a computer encourages you to seek out the myth that is perfection, whereas recording to a tape deck encourages you to make a blemished but beautiful and warm sound.”
This “blemished but beautiful” sound is exactly what makes the album so appealing. In a world where it’s easier than ever for anyone to start making music, it’s still rare to hear a one-man-at-home album that’s actually good. Boasting a range of catchy tunes, “vera” accomplishes this easily without losing any of that handmade feeling. In fact, one line of the album’s Bandcamp description reads, “all songs recorded by me in my room.” As you listen, it’s easy to imagine Smith’s creative process taking shape. The unpolished factor makes it all the more real. From his bedroom to your ear — the album loses none of its homespun humanity.
Though the album is by all means an independent venture, careful Bandcamp readers will notice that tracks 6 and 7 (“i’m walkin solo” and “old man”) were written by the musician’s great uncle, Craig Smith. I was curious, and Smith was ready with the answers I craved. Apparently, Craig Smith wrote songs in the 1960s and 70s for a wide range of artists, including Glen Campbell, Andy Williams, and the Monkees — quite the impressive repertoire. After releasing two psychedelic folk albums in the early 70s under the name Maitreya Kali, he lived on the streets until his death in 2012.
On “vera,” Smith pays tribute to his great uncle’s craft. “I never met him, but once I found out about him a few years ago, I became very interested in his story and his music. It was mind-blowing to find out that he existed — I didn’t even know about him until years after I had already gotten into psychedelic music and 60s rock,” Smith tells me. “I just think he was a fantastic songwriter whose story needs more recognition!” Those interested in more of Craig Smith’s story should read “Swim Through the Darkness” by Mike Stax.
This cross-generational influence contributes to the album’s familiar authenticity, and so too does its medium. Though “vera” is available on Bandcamp in MP3 form, I highly recommend committing to the physical cassette. Not only does this reflect Smith’s recording method, but it’s bright transparent orange (how cool is that?) and comes complete with handwritten liner notes and one-of-a-kind photography. Like me, Smith has always loved physical music, and it was important to him to create a tangible version of his album. As for the unique insert, he tells me that he “love[s] when artists do stuff like that, so I thought it would be fun if I turned it all into a little art project.”
To KWVA music blog readers, Smith has one message: “Keep on rocking!” He encourages fellow musicians to create the things they’ve always wanted to without worrying whether they’re good enough. As is evident in the album, authenticity is everything. Be yourself and remember that the things you create are “worthy because you are worthy!” At the moment, Smith is working on more punk-influenced music with his band The Sitting Ducks, but plans to write and release more music under the my favorite boxer name. Look out for him in the central Oregon music scene and expect more masterpieces to come from this rising star in our midst.