GLORY DAZE might be the title of her debut EP, but glory days may have a different slant if the promise of this securely constructed bunch of songs is built upon. Half a dozen tracks by Tennessee resident Rachel McIntyre Smith reveal a confident contemporary beginning with a transparent trait for a lyrical style to transcend generations. Make no mistake this is very much an age focussed project reflecting the quarter life travails of its writer, but a sharp and sophisticated sound gives the songs wings to soar from their source.
The stand out song from the pack is the rather cutting and damning 'Miss Highfalutin'. Blessed with some fabulous steel amidst a rootsy base, a powerful punch is landed to supplement some melodic sparkle. The EP kicks off with the title track and a slither of blended mandolin and steel. Lyrically we are presented with a reflection of trying to move on with all the pitfalls including "memories {are} like Tennessee fog".
'Queen of Our Hometown' is a spritely follow up to the mellow opener and dwells on success and recognition closer to home. The writing gets a little cleverer in 'The Woulds' with a series of questions. Trying to make sense of the past is a sub-theme of this record that marks Rachel McIntyre Smith as an astute songwriter. 'First Love' is a safe ground topic for this type of record as the vocals get a touch dreamy to match a soundtrack benefiting from a touch of atmospheric background steel.
Leap frogging over the aforementioned stand-out track, this short collection ends on the self explanatory 'High School Reunion'. Although deeper listening reveals an interesting take on these events that are not always as clear cut than appears on the surface.
Rachel McIntyre brings a zip to her songwriting that inspires comparison with Kacey Musgraves on subtle form. She has a definite ear for sprinkling her music with some traditional gold dust and doesn't get sucked into a popular vacuum. GLORY DAZE is a memorable set of songs starting with one person's experience before expanding out with verve and swagger.