Mindy Smith delivered “Long Island Shores” in 2006, her sophomore effort following the impressive debut, “One Moment More.” It is hard to put Mindy into a specific genre, but by and large she does organic, folk-based songs that are perfect for rainy days, a quiet dinner, or chilling out. The best comparisons that come to mind include Alison Kraus, Shawn Colvin, and even some Lucinda Williams. Her lyrical themes are usually drenched in faith, but we won’t hold that against her.
Her voice is angelic and velvety smooth, and it is refreshing to hear another full CD’s worth. But despite several spins now, “Long Island Shores” is not resonating as powerfully as “One Moment More.” In my opinion, her debut contained many more tracks with better hooks and more appealing melodies. More disappointing is that Mindy does not seem to exploit her full range of vocal talents on “Long Island Shores”. She can really sing beautifully and strong, and it would be great if she was performing songs that allowed her to shine vocally. Instead, what comes across is a more sedate and sleepy version of Mindy Smith. Perhaps this was intended to buttress the overall mood on this disc, but to me it is like getting behind the wheel of a Ferrari and not being allowed to leave your driveway. She should have named this record, "Long Island Snores". Here's hoping the next release is more like her debut...
iPOD-worthy: 3, 4, 11
Mindy Smith on MySpace. Official site.
Check out the single “Out Loud”:
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