Andy Smythe – Prodigal Son (2023)
From reviews on Roadie Music, Folking.com, RnR Magazine, Edgar Allan Poets, and Karl Is My Unkle to coverage on BBC Radio Kent and Blues and Roots Radio, singer-songwriter Andy Smythe is turning heads across the globe. With over 20 years in the music industry, UK-based Smythe is no newbie to the scene and his vast knowledge of writing, singing and performing presents in a sophisticated act. Confident and charismatic, he has played numerous folk festivals (Folk on the Pier, Broadstairs and The Folk of Gloucester), as well as successful tours across the UK and the US. Despite him being a shark in that sonic ocean, this is my introduction to the talented individual. Come with me as I delve into his music.
Following his well-received singles ‘In The Orchard’, ‘The Riverman’ and full-length album Hard To Be Human, Andy Smythe bursts in 2023 with ‘Prodigal Son’. Exactly what it says on the tin, the single touches on the tale of the prodigal son: a boy or man who left his family to do something they disapprove of and has now returned home feeling sorry for what he has done. In Smythe’s rendition, he tells a tale of returning after “backpacking through different cultures and the relentless hippie ideal of finding oneself”.
Reminding me strongly of Paul Simon and Paul McCartney, there is a poetic rawness to ‘Prodigal Son’ melodically and lyrically. With strong folk sentimentalities, Smythe’s dulcet vocals drip with vulnerability, melancholy and a haunting fragility. Yet, while the vocals bring an intimate breath-taking sadness, Smythe embraces you with a sonic warmth and a big whimsical smile – all in the song, of course.
The lyricism is profound with hints of Leonard Cohen and Paul Simon, but it is the overall instrumentation that makes the single inimitable. A rush of guitars is met by bare flutes and a twinkle of lush strings creating something raw but with a sophisticated orchestral symphony. Sincere, sentimental and elegant, Andy Smythe takes our breath away with ‘Prodigal Son’.
For more from Andy Smythe, check out his official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
