Darden Smith

Extra Extra Darden Smith Sings Twelve Songs by Heart (VE)

Despite its banner headline, Extra Extra Darden Smith Sings Twelve Songs by Heart, there’s no new news on the Austin singer-songwriter’s first release in four years. And you know what they say: No news is good news. Particularly on a de facto greatest-hits package such as this; no one wants new songs, B-sides, or worst of all, remixes. No surprises. Given that the dozen tracks on Extra Extra, comprising the heart of Smith’s tunefully thoughtful catalogue, have all been re-recorded, the fact that the whole effort isn’t ready for the obits page is news in and of itself. Good news for fans of longtime local tunesmith, as it turns out. “Hunger” and “First Day of the Sun,” for example, both from the Cactus Cafe Hall of Famer’s well-received last release Deep Fantastic Blue, benefits nicely from subtle embellishments; the new versions feel more comfortable — worn in — whereas their older counterparts, in comparison, now sound a bit like demos. “Frankie and Sue” and “Midnight Train,” on the other hand, both off Smith’s commercial peak — 1990’s Trouble No More on Columbia (represented here by four selections) — are distinguished by the author’s most soulful singing of his career. Not everything improves when pared back, however; “Levee Song” misses the major-label production on ’93’s Little Victories. Then again, “Loving Arms” and that LP’s title track are richer in their pronounced spareness. Extra Extra Darden Smith Sings Twelve Songs by Heart.

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This article appears in September 8 • 2000.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.