One Moment More [Audio CD] Mindy Smith

While the hype machine forever proclaims this or that new artist to be "unique," "original," or "a fresh new voice," most of the time what you hear is more of the same old, same old. Thus, it is a rare joy to hear a newcomer that actually qualifies as all of the above. Mindy Smith fits loosely in the alt-country genre but adds some distinctive touches that set her apart from the field. A residency in Nashville brings a welcome Music Row level of craftsmanship to the playing and production, while her singing and songwriting take the music to places where cliché has never been. A song like "Hurricane" has a hook Faith Hill would kill for, but tells a tale of rebirth that might prove a little raw for her emotional range. Like Julie Miller, Smith writes songs that deal with redemption and spiritual matters in a way that is powerful without being off-putting to the more secular among us. Likewise she can write about her stepmother's passing in terms general enough to make it a stirring ode to the loss of any love--and do it in a voice that could make a statue misty. Smith more than held her own on the Dolly Parton tribute, Just Because I'm a Woman, alongside the likes of Alison Krauss, Norah Jones, and Dolly herself. One Moment More proves that it was no fluke. This time believe the hype. --Michael Ross