Phil Smith & The Lights - 1,2,3,4... Mp3

‘1,2,3,4…’is the 4th studio album from Phil Smith, and his second with backing band the Lights. This is about as raw as you get, harking back to the recording ethos of ’70’s era bands like The Stones/ The Band/ Bob Dylan and Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse.

The idea for this album came out of a collaboration Phil had with friend and guitarist Nick Milnes. The songs were written in a month, with one full band rehearsal before hitting the studio with the 6 piece band.

Comprising drums/ bass/ piano/ Wurlitzer/ Fender Rhodes/ Hammond organ plus electric and acoustic guitars this effort was recorded over 2 1/2 days in an old dairy barn west of Brisbane. The band coming to grips with the material as it was being recorded.

Pressing to vinyl for the first time meant the song-list was reduced to 9 songs, which really helps keep the album punchy and succinct from start to finish.

From the harmony laden country-rock opener of Straight & Narrow to the out and out Rolling Stones rock of Living In Sin, this is an album that will have you reaching for the old classics to give them another spin.

As Phil Smith explains, "We wanted to give the album a real 70s recording feel with a big room and live playing, and without excessive overdubs". In line with this, the album was mastered on analogue tape and released onto vinyl.

The record boasts a collection of 9 songs – ‘any of which wouldn’t be out of place on the soundtrack to the classic Texas documentary Heartworn Highway.’ “It’s like reading a book of short stories set to sound,” is how one critic put it, with the album receiving 4 stars from Brisbane’s The Courier Mail.

Rob Dickens, of online music blog Music Mainline, described the new album as “similar to classic Bob Dylan, The Band or Neil Young with Crazy Horse, a beautifully ‘loose’ vibe that is foot-tapping and brain-engaging.

In September 2016, the album achieved ABC Radio 612’s Album of the Week.