Country Songs From The Heart Vol.II - Album CD Review Thursday, 28 January 2021
“Breathe The Love”
RECENTLY HAD THE REAL & HONEST PLEASURE TO LISTEN TO THE FINEST MUSIC ARTIST THAT I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO KNOW AND PLAY ON MY RADIO SHOW, HIS NAME IS DON SMYTHE. HE & HIS WIFE SHIRLEY ARE TRULY UNBELIEVABLE. THEY WRITE AMAZING SONGS AND I HAD THE REAL PLEASURE OF HEARING & THE HONOR OF WRITING THE LAST REVIEW ON THEIR LAST PROJECT “COUNTRY SONGS FROM THE HEART VOLUME I.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, DON & SHIRLEY HAVE RELEASEFD ANOTHER ALBUM, THE FOLLOW UP TO THE LAST PROJECT, VOLUME II. THIS COLLECTION IS A TRUE REMARKABLE WORK OF MUSICAL ART.
THE FIRST SONG IS CALLED “IT’S CALLED BEING IN LOVE ” MELODY BY DON AND THE AMAZING LYRICS BY SHIRLEY SMYTHE. THE SONG IS TRULY AMAZING AND KEPT MY TASTEBUDS WANTING MORE.
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“TURN OUT THE LIGHTS & LOVE ME” (COVER BY DON WILLIAMS) WOW!! WHAT A REMARKABLE SONG. DON HAS THAT SOUND THAT JUST MAKES ME SAY O.M.G. WHAT INCREDIBLE TALENT AND SO GENUINE REAL.
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“HAPPINESS OF HAVING YOU” (COVER BY CHARLIE PRIDE) ANOTHER SONG THAT SHOULD BE ALREADY A SOLID GOLD SINGLE. THE SONG ALLOWS THE LISTENER TO REALLY FEEL & ACTUALLY HAVE WARMTH ARRIVING FROM DONS AMAZING VOCALS.
“LONGWAY TILL TOMORROW” ANOTHER AMAZING & SO ENERGY FILLED SOUND THAT KEEPS YOU WANTING MORE.
“FARMERS DAUGHTER” A SONG WRITTEN BY THE LATE MERLE HAGGARD, BUT DON IS THE REAL DEAL AND HIS VOCALS JUST ADD THAT FLAVOR THAT MAKE THE MUSIC TASTE GREAT.
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“NOWHERE’S TOO FAR” ANOTHER SUPERB MASTERPIECE OF MUSIC WITH DON AND SHIRLEY AT THE CONTROLS. THE SONG REALLY COMES TO LIFE & INVITES YOUR EARS IN FOR AN AMAZING TICKLE THAT IS OUTSTANDING.
“I’VE GOT A YEARNING” ANOTHER MERLE HAGGARD SONG, DESPITE THIS HAVING A LEGEND WRITING THIS SONG, DON SHOWS HIS MAGICAL TALENT TO REALLY MAKE THE SONG BREATHE A NEW LIFE & ALLOW YOU TO REALLY LIVE THEM AGAIN.
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“PAPER ROSIE” ANOTHER SUPREME SONG THAT DON MAKES ONE REALLY STAND UP & SAY WOW!! WHAT SUPERIOR TALENT AT IT’S FINEST.
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“BORROWED ANGEL” A SONG THAT HAS A MESSAGE AND MORE, AND WHEN I SAY MORE DONS VOCALS ARE SO REAL YOU ARE ABLE TO REALLY FEEL THE VIBES BEING SENT FROM HIS REMARKABLE VOICE.
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“DADDY’S IN KHANDAHA” DON REALLY HAS THE CONSISTENT ABILITY TO REALLY MAKE A SONG BREATHE AND COME FROM THE SPEAKERS AND INTO YOUR HEART.
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“I FLEW OVER THE HOUSE LAST NIGHT ” A SONG WRITTEN BY THE AMAZING SINGER SONGWRITER TOM T. HALL, AND DON TOTALLY SERVES THIS SONG A TRULY AMAZING JUSTICE AND I LOVE IT.
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”SOMEONE’S HEART IS BREAKING” ANOTHER SUPERB CREATION OF SHIRLEY & DON TEAM. THE SONG HAS SO MUCH PURENESS AND I FELT THE TRUE EMOTION THROUGHOUT THE SONG. THAT’S WHERE I’VE NICKNAMED DON “THE REAL DEAL” COUPLED WITH HIS AMAZING WIFE SHIRLEY THEY’VE REALLY GOT IT!!. SPARKLE AND REALISM BROUGHT TO LIFE WITH THE VEHICLE OF THEIR TOTALLY AMAZING MUSIC.
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THE LAST SONG ON THIS TRULY LIFE CHANGING AND VERY HEARTFELT COLLECTION OF SONGS IS CALLED “SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN” WRITTEN BY KRIS KRISTOFFERSON. DON JUST DISPLAYS HIS TRUE AND AMAZING TALENT AND MAINTAINS HIS NICK NAME “THE REAL DEAL". DON SMYTHE MAKES THIS SONG AND AGAIN MAKES THE MUSIC COME ALIVE AND HAVE A TRUE BREATH THAT IS AMAZING AND TOTALLY MESMORIZING & A VOICE THAT WILL REMAIN IN MY MUSICAL TASTEBUDS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
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BETWEEN DON & SHIRLEY SMYTHE THEY ARE WHAT JOHN LENNON & PAUL McCARTNEY ARE TO EACH OTHER, A TRUE MATCH MADE FROM THE HEAVENS & I AM TRULY BLESSED & HONORED TO KNOW SUCH GREAT FRIENDS & SUCH PURE & REAL AND NEXT TO THE HEART TALENT AT IT’S FINEST.
STEVEN F. ADAMS
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Music Reviewer/ Journalist Owner Sound Wave One
c 2020 used by permission
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for more on Don Smythe
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DON SMYTHE-COUNTRY MUSICIAN ·THURSDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2018·
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“Country Songs From The Heart Vol.1”, from New Zealand country artist Don Smythe, is certainly a very pleasant album to listen to. The songs are all well-chosen and the arrangements work very well, making a very pleasing package for the many people interested in classic country music...
The album is also nicely produced and mixed, it stands up very well in comparison to similar genre works currently coming from Country Music Heartland in the USA. These days, anything that comes to the market at the lower standard is unlikely to see the light of day. The huge improvement in recording technology is apparent here and the album sounds great with heaps of presence.
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So what of the performance?
Well, it’s pretty good, Don’s voice is not a melodious or ‘tall timber, big boom’, classic country vocal. However, it has plenty of character and appeal and is always solidly accurate in pitch. Country music relies on character and colorful expression to appeal to listeners and the performances on this album certainly has that...
It’s also great to hear a competent group of backing musicians breathe their talent and quality into the tracks. The backing singers and featured musicians are brilliant. The crowning glory being the scorching pedal steel from Paddy Long. Pedal Steel is difficult to play but a beautiful sounding instrument. The playing here lifts the work to a very much higher level.
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So do I recommend you listen to this album?
Yes, it’s good, it’s fun and it’s lovely work.
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Country Songs From The Heart Vol.I - EP CD Review FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2020
“Warmth from the Heart”
It’s truly amazing to know how much music is out there. With the surge of independent AKA indie artists. Which in my opinion are taking the music scene by storm. I have written over 500 music reviews as of date and many more arriving daily, I am amazed and astounded how much amazing talent is out there and not getting proper attention.
One of those amazing talents I’ve most recently been introduced to is a country music phenomenon and extraordinaire Don Smythe. He has an amazing and beautiful sounding voice that resonates from his heart. Don & his wife Shirley are co- writers of their music & he also does other musicians music. I have been listening to the albums called “Country Songs From the Heart volume I, and volume II.
What a tremendous awesome collection of songs.
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Don’s wife Shirley wrote the first song called “A Night Alone With You” and Don has a voice that is clear & crisp and the lyrical content of his wife Shirley and melodies of Don which has the makeup of legends.
The next song Don sings is a song that the late Kenny Rogers sang from the year 1979 the song is called “Coward of the County” & Don puts his amazing magical and purely divine vocals on it and sounds amazing.
The next song is called “Living on Love” a song Alan Jackson sung, Don sings this song & his amazing vocals bring this song life.
The next song is called “Sing Me Back Home” written by the late legendary Merle Haggard, Don and his vocals and fine pointed musicality lends this song good favor and made me eager to hear more from Don.
“Precious Years” another song that allows you to really hear and feel the warmth & sincerity of who Don Smythe is as a singer and really able to absorb & cherish his vocals.
The next song on this amazing & truly lovable album is called “Always Wanting You” another song written by the late Merle Haggard” and once again Don Smythe shows his honesty and true feelings expressed through his talented vocals and smoothness that carries throughout his amazing music.
Speaking of sincerity and honesty the next song called”Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” Don really shows his vulnerability and honesty on this song and loved this album from start to finish.
If you are a fan of music of any genre you must seek this guy out, his name is Don Smythe & he has the touch of purity and honesty & love brought to the surface of his truly amazing talent and vocals & total musicality that make you ache for more.
I thank Dory Young for the introduction to this amazing & truly beautiful talent that will break the surface & take the country music scene to a new level and show how much true talent is out there and Don Smythe & his talented writer & wife Shirley. With the two of them their music will be shining and leading the way.
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Music Reviewer/ Journalist Owner Sound Wave One
c 2020 used by permission
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for more on Don Smythe