Girl at the Rock Shows

I’m feeling accomplished today. It’s just a hair after 10AM and I feel like I’ve already gotten a lot done and there’s no stopping me. Maybe it’s the peaceful nature of the snow falling outside (I absolutely adore winter) or it’s the fact that I just woke up feeling energized and awake for the first time in forever. Regardless, I am taking advantage of this motivation and energy and think it’s time to find a soundtrack to fit both that and the falling snow outside. I’m thinking Kelley Smith’s ‘Moon Child’ may be just what I need based on the whimsical-looking watercolor-styled cover so let’s take this quick EP for a spin, shall we?

The title track, “Moon Child”, kicks the album off just the way I expected. Super calm and low-key but with an undeniable sense of heart and passion. Kelley’s vocals are absolutely stunning, to say the least. Even though I’m not typically one for a southern drawl, the way Kelley pairs it with a classic folk singer-songwriter style is absolutely flawless in every single way. I was looking for warm and cozy and that’s exactly what I got with this opening track. Even though it is much slower than what I typically go for, I found myself absolutely lost in Kelley’s storytelling and the calming instrumentation.

“Marriage” amps the tempo up every so slightly when compared to the opening track but this second song is still very much calm and soothing. It’s catchy with a bit of a bop but the overall feeling is still that distinct country-inspired singer-songwriter vibe. There’s something playful in this track in both the vocals and guitar work which I found hopelessly addicting. The playfulness of “Marriage” absolutely filled me with joy which is something I was hoping for more of but things shifted as the album moved on to “Dust”.

“Dust” has a very serious vibe to it. Do not get me wrong, it’s still super beautiful and with this subtle feeling of whimsy that Kelley seems to sneak into all of her tracks but there’s something deep and dark about her vocals in this track. I loved seeing this more serious side of Kelley but it also broke my heart sheerly due to the pain you can feel that comes attached with every word. Although a bit lengthy at over four minutes long, I was completely lost in everything about this song, especially the heartfelt lyrics.

Fourth on this short EP is “Tea and Whiskey” which seems to split the difference between the darkness of “Dust” and the playfulness of the two first songs perfectly. Although it brings back that whimsy that I found so addicting in the first two tracks, there’s still this subtle hint of darkness in the vocal styling featured in this track. Even with that darkness, Kelley’s vocals shine so brightly throughout this track making it a favorite of mine instantly.

Ending ‘Moon Child’ is “I’ll Let Go” which brings a surprisingly triumphant feeling. Don’t worry, this song is still true to Kelley Smith’s distinct style but there’s a sense of hope and power in the vocals during this last track that wasn’t quite there in the previous songs. The instrumentation is still light and minimalistic giving Kelley’s vocals the spotlight they deserve. It puts the words in the forefront which is a good thing because Kelley’s words are pure magic.

Overall, ‘Moon Child’ by Kelley Smith is a lot calmer than I typically go for but on a snowy day when I am feeling energized and full of motivation to get stuff done to the point where maybe we can use the word “manic”, this was the perfect soundtrack. It brought me back to earth while not knocking me off of this energized hill I find myself on today.

My Favorite Track(s): “Tea and Whiskey”

For Fans Of: Soft Power; Indie-Acoustic-Americana- Singer-Songwriter; Cozy Things

Mosh-ability: 0 out of 10

What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie and Alfie slept on the couch; Autumn ate what was left over from breakfast

How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 5 out of 10

My Overall Rating: 7.4 out of 10

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