Country singer-songwriter Alex Smart has been refining his craft for most of his life. Born in Greenville, SC, he received his first guitar at the age of 10 and cemented his passion for music in his teenage years. Smart is set to release his EP Chapter 1 later this year, but preceding it is his heartfelt and genuine single Summer Rain.
Summer Rain has all of the qualities we love about a well-executed modern country track. There’s a great variety of instrumentation over an acoustic guitar base, and the melodies are familiar and memorable. Smart cites influence from Eric Church and Chris Stapleton, and they can both be clearly seen in this particular track. But Smart has a sound of his own, a pop-leaning, soulful undertone that radiates authenticity and relatability at every measure.
Like all great country tracks, the story is the centerpiece of the song, and that’s most definitely the case on this single. Summer Rain reflects on days gone by through the eyes of a father talking to his child, old photographs and memories in hand. It’s a collection of vulnerable moments, tied together by wonderfully written lyrics that will resonate with anyone who has ever yearned for just a little bit more time in “the good old days“. We particularly like the second verse for its combination of lightheartedness and romance:
“This is on the day that I met mom
She had me a wreck, I couldn’t talk
She had me weak in the knees I could hardly breathe,
Speaking bout some times about your mom
I remember this our senior prom
Your uncle Kevin spiked the punch
Vowed we’d never give him up“
Top it all off with an incredible vocal tone from Smart – raspy, and with a whole lot of grit – and this song is Top 40 material. It’s a perfect combination of musicality and storytelling, tied together with definitively modern production choices that let this song sit comfortably alongside today’s country hits. With this single, Alex Smart has clearly identified himself as an artist to watch, and Summer Rain is an absolute must-listen for fans of well-written modern country. Look for his new EP Chapter 1 premiering this summer.
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BELOW: Listen to Summer Rain and connect with his website and social media platforms. Please support Alex Smart by visiting him online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing his music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
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