Search - Doug Smith :: Order of Magnitude

Inspired, accomplished, and beautiful

David J. Loftus | Portland, OR USA | 02/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Originally put out by American Gramaphone in 1991, this disc was wisely reissued by the Acoustic Music Resource in 2000. Though technically his second album, it was the first to receive nationwide release, and is an accomplished effort.Smith does beautiful, clean finger picking that often sounds like two guitars playing simultaneously. The music is melodic, lush, and almost always upbeat or pleasant in mood; you find little regret and no anger in his compositions. They're sufficiently lovely and unobtrusive, for the most part, to serve as background music, yet complex and interesting enough to reward close listening when you're in the mood and have the time.Though only half the tunes on this disc are strictly solo, the accompaniments overseen by producer John Archer are usually pretty subtle. Often they take the form of a piano, electric keyboard, light percussion, violin, and/or flute that kick in only on the second or third chorus. There is even a real string orchestra quietly supporting "Erin's Lullaby."Standouts are "Renewal," a signature solo Doug Smith piece that is contemplative but with plenty of forward momentum; "Serenade," thoughtful and delicate, with some dramatic flute backing; and "Crest of the Revolution," a barn-burning tribute to a roller coaster with blistering one-handed finger tapping or "hammer-ons" high on the fretboard alternating with airy harmonics.For Celtic music fans, "Rites of Passage" offers a slip jig in 9/8 time, and "The Jig Is Up" is a flying and pounding Irish dance punctuated by rare harmonic "pings."Truthfully, there isn't a bad cut on the album. With roughly 52 minutes of music, this is a pretty good buy."

Top-notch acoustic guitar

Sir Bowen | Houston, TX USA | 09/14/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think that this is Doug Smith's best release. It really showcases his ability to compose and perform pieces in varying styles and moods.All of the selections are his own compositions. The performances are flawless, the tones full and lush, and the quality of the recording is excellent. This is a disc that I listen to over and over, and it seems to get better each time I listen."