Search - Kenny & Amanda Smith Band :: Always Never Enough

Superb, fantastic, wonderful...

Joaquin | Tarrasa (Terrassa), Barcelona Espana | 08/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Superb, this disc is wonderful, from the first song Always Never, , the calm Pacific Time and the haughty Dig to little deep, my favorite one, all the songs are fantastic, Amanda's voice, Kenny's guitar and all the rest musicians are incredible .. recommended all the lovers of the bluegrass, and of the good music .. I do not tire of listening to this disc and other two works are also haughty .. a greeting from Spain

Joaquin"

Fluid picking, spiritually-tinged harmonies, and high ampera

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 09/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 42:43 -- Kenny Smith hails from Nine Mile, Indiana although he currently lives in Meadows of Dan, Virginia. He won the 1992 guitar contest at Merlefest, and placed at Winfield in 92, 93, and 94. From 1993-4, Kenny was a member of Claire Lynch's Front Porch String Band. In 1994, he joined the Lonesome River Band. His first solo album was released in 1997. In 1998 and 1999, he won IBMA Guitar Player of the Year awards. In 2001, Kenny left the Lonesome River Band to perform in a duo with his wife Amanda. They'd met in 1995 at a Lonesome RiverBand concert and married soon thereafter. In 2003, Kenny and Amanda won IBMA's Emerging Artist of the Year Award.



Smith's solo project, "Studebaker," showcased his songwriting abilities and talented wife's soulful singing. A few years have now passed since Kenny and Amanda Smith turned plenty of heads with their gem, "Slowly but Surely" (Farm Boy FBR-1001), that included band members Ronald Inscore, Jason Moore, Steve Huber, and Ron Stewart. It helped formulate the band's original, contemporary sound characterized by beautiful vocals, expert picking, solid arrangements, excellent repertoire, and high recording quality. They released their second album, "House Down the Block," in January 2004.



This group's second release on the distinguished Rebel Records label came to my attention when I heard the title track (written by Tim Stafford and Steve Gulley) as the lead off song on Volume 75 of Prime Cuts of Bluegrass. The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band have a mellifluous bluegrass sound that varies quick-paced romps with beautiful and emotionally-rendered ballads



The band has had a couple personnel changes. Whiz banjo-player Steve Huber is still with the Smiths, but "Always Never Enough" introduces Jason Robertson (mandolin) and Alan Bartram (bass). Robertson is young player with a very tasty and clean, crisp sound which I personally would've liked strengthened in the mix. Also a quality songwriter, Bartram penned "She`s on my Mind." Although a minor criticism, I still believe that this band's sound would be enhanced with some fiddle and/or dobro in a few spots. Their choice of material, on this project particularly, begs for some incorporation of these instruments. As did their "House Down the Block" release. However, I can also understand and fully appreciate the artists' own personal vision and desired signature sound to instead emphasize vocals, banjo, guitar, and mandolin as the primary vehicles for their musical expression.



The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band's "Always Never Enough" offers good harmony, straight-ahead picking, and very solid song selection with thoughtful messages and varied tempos. While Kenny, a decent songwriter himself, didn't pen any of the numbers, the band draws material from some favorite sources -- Tim Stafford, Becky Buller, and their own Alan Bartram. They also like to cover some country classics, in this album's case it's Webb Pierce and Mel Tillis' "A Thousand Miles Ago." The album closes with a song that connects all their bluegrass dots to the past, Carter Stanley's "Our Last Goodbye." It's an interesting arrangement that modulates to a different key and which characterizes their sound -- fluid picking, spiritually-tinged harmonies, and high amperage in their musical currents. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

"

Clean, soulful bluegrass

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 10/14/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bluegrass aficionados will be familiar with the guitar playing of Kenny Smith from his stints with Claire Lynch's Front Porch String Band and his time in the Lonesome River Band. Smith also cut a solo album in 1997, and has a popular instructional DVD on the market. He formed his own band in 2001 with then new bride Amanda, and banjo wizard Steve Huber. Over the years the band has hosted a few bass and mandolin players, most recently Alan Bartram and newcomer Jason Robertson. Bartram also contributes his song "She's On My Mind" to this release.



Kenny Smith and Steve Huber are longtime jamming partners, and though they're both stellar pickers, they lay back a bit this time out to shift the spotlight to the group's vocals. The band turns up the tempo on the cantering opener "Always Never Enough" and a cover of Webb Pierce's "A Thousand Miles Ago," and they hot-pick for the driving "What You Do What You Do." But where the band is truly distinctive are on slow and mid-tempo tunes where the group's tight harmonies provide spiritually-tinged backings. The contemplative "Pacific Time" and the intricately picked and sung "Going By Again" are particular standouts. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]"