Sunshone Still – Dead Letters

Chris Smith (a.k.a. Sunshone Still) has a sound that reflects the work of artists such as Tom Waits, Elliott Smith and Nick Drake. Dead Letters is his impressive debut, which he wrote, recorded and produced over the last three years; its a musical landscape painted in the hushed tones of twilight. Acoustic guitars lead the way, occasionally joined by the lonesome and cutting sound of a harmonica or any number of acoustic instruments lazily meandering through the songs. The sparse instrumentation and subdued production emphasize Smiths plaintive baritone and the small-town pictures he paints. The summer-camp recollection Fireflies is a midtempo highlight, while the heartrending Smoke Rings is a picture of post-relationship depression.