Smith, Sonny
100 Records, Vol.3
Sonny Smith is one of the most interesting artists of recent times. Writer and novelist, it was not until midthirties he decided to pick up a guitar and start singing songs, always well surrounded by artists such as Jolie Holland, Neko Case, Mark Eitzel (American Music Club), Edith Frost or Andy Cabic (Vetiver). But it was not until he formed Sonny and the Sunsets in 2007 that his music exploded around the world. His fi rst blockbuster was ,Tomorrow its alright" (Fat Possum, Soft Abuse, 2010), an LP that showed a songbook of drank doo-wop, most innocent garage, the Everly Brothers, Jonathan Richman, girl-groups from the 60s and the more festive songs of a Harry Smith anthology. Those infl uences were adorned with fresh sounds based on glorious choruses, handclaps, lo-fi vocal games and the company of some of the brilliant musicians of his generation