Roland K Smith keeps it raw and real in his first self-titled EP release. Following the just-missed big time success of hard rocking act Walrus, Roland uses his first EP to foray into the alt-rock, slow blues genre, showing off his Bob Dylan to his previous band’s Led Zep.
With a twang sounding more Nashville than Sydney, Roland uses simple heartfelt lyrics with an understated band (combining his girlfriend and a random from down the street) to create a likable album. It’s a release that suggests a live presence and hints of promise for recordings to come. However, technical issues get in the way at times of what would have otherwise been a completely enjoyable late-night listen.
You’ve Found Someone Else to Love is the poignant starting place for an EP that proves a few certainties – namely, that Roland has his heart in what he does, definitely knows his blues, and definitely needs to watch his pitch to avoid the whine in his upper register. This is particularly notable in higher pitched songs such as Too Many Times.
I’ll Write You In the Morning blends the upper and lower regions of his voices nicely to complement the simple and rootsy lyrics, which suggest a more mature mind than would be expected from one of the mid-20s inner-city macchiato mob. The guitar solo at the end of I’ll Write… adds another nuance to what can become the same old singer-songwriter thing, and future recordings/gigs would benefit from adding these musical layers to the vocals in order to occasionally shift focus.
Roland has obviously learnt from his time with Walrus and has attempted to strike out. The move has earned him credit from names such as The Brag (indie album of the week) and even women’s magazine Marie Claire. Some solid support in the production realm would help, to keep his pitching and other little discrepancies in check. Roland promises to produce more quality work for purveyors of the Cat Stevens/Neil Young generation to enjoy and reflect upon.
