Search - Boo Hewerdine, Darden Smith :: Evidence

Rediscovered Evidence

Tim Brough | Springfield, PA United States | 09/01/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I still have the original, so I can't make much for comments about the extra track. But if you have yet to discover this little gem from 1989, it's never too late to make up for lost time. "Evidence" was the joyous sounds of two similar cultures coming together for one superior album. Boo Hewerdine was the front man for a British near folk band called The Bible ("Eureka" is still at least listed on Amazon) and Austin, Texas country/folk singer Darden Smith (best solo album is "Trouble No More" on Sony). Together, they made the kind of open and airy folk music hybrid that people like Bruce Hornsby and 10,000 Maniacs were popular for at the time.



But how much do I like this album? While "Evidence" is still in my collection, I've lost my Bible CD's. I had to go back and dig through a few used stores to find Darden's music again (though the duo still do the occasional tour, and Darden has some new material out). The brainstorming the pair did together brought forth some fun and catchy songs like "All I Want is Everything," "Under The Darkest Moon" and "Love Is A Strange Hotel." ("Hotel" was also covered wonderfully and made the title to a Gregson and Collister CD.) There are a couple of darker songs (the title track and "A Town Called Blue") that will bring Lyle Lovett to mind, or maybe Steve Earle in his less radical days (The Bible's early sessions were produced by Earle). That combination has been enough to always make "Evidence" a keeper.



Much like Any Trouble's debut album, this is smart acoustic music that is being brought back into print. Don't let this "Evidence" get overlooked again. Also recommend, Any Trouble, Gregson and Collister, Smith's "Little Victories" and "Trouble No More," and Hewerdine's "Baptist Hospital.""

Songwriting Subtlety

Greg | 07/23/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Even if the line "a purty face was made for missing" turns you off, you'll find something to like about "Evidence". It is understated to the point of disappearance, but the melodies are so damn catchy they stick in the craw. Gravitating toward folk and country, songs like "Evidence" and "Oil on the Water" talk about sin and redemption in love ... a subject hardly out of style. In my opinion this whole is greater than the parts - both Hewerdine and Smith have released disappointing albums since."