Austin Sound

Poor Drew Smith, why so lonely? We asked back in May to no real avail, but we figure listening to that much Randy Newman will make anyone pretty miserable. The local songwriter’s bittersweet pop malaise has grown to encompass current events, though, with his new tune “Bank Ain’t Got the Loan.” We hear ya, Drew, we hear ya. Still, it’s better than “Bank Suckered Me Into A Shitty Sub-Prime Loan.” Drew Smith and his choirboys will be helping Momo’s celebrate its Nine Year Anniversary this weekend with a show on Saturday, August 29. They headline at Midnight, but you can also catch Kacy Crowley, Brian Keane, Wendy Colonna, and Suzanna Choffel beforehand, starting at 7:00pm. The Momo’s party will be kicking all weekend, though, and you can check out the full schedule here. Oh, and our friends over at Party Ends jumped on the Drew Smith love train today, and you can download Smith’s tune “Nilsson Sings Newman” over there, which is off of his most recent eponymous offering. And sorry Drew, we know if we all keep giving away all your tunes, you’ll never make any money, but don’t hate the playa, hate the game!

When Drew Smith returned last year with his second LP, it showcased a stellar new band that unloaded deliciously classic pop tunes. Smith and his piano man Matt Russell have honed the sound together over the past 6 years, but Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir exploded with an unavoidable energy and charm that made the album one of last year’s sleeper hits. While Smith wears his influences proudly, it’s the kind of timeless sound that never loses its luster, and Smith’s clever songwriting stamps the songs with a savvy and intelligent playfulness. You can catch Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir live this Friday, May 8, with rising star Susanna Choffel at Lambert’s.

Let’s just get the completely obvious out of the way: Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir is clearly and unequivocally influenced – heavily – by Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman. From the piano playing, to Smith’s vocals, to the production and orchestration, to the lyrics, to the obvious lead-off track “Nilsson sings Newman.” And, it’s utterly fantastic and pleasantly refreshing to hear homage to songwriters not named Dylan, Young, Springsteen, and Costello. Drew Smith and his band, the Lonely Choir, create perfect pop classics that will warm the ears of Newman and Nilsson fans – and likely the fans of indie acts like Spoon, and The Shins.