American singer songwriter Noah Smith lands on our pages thanks to his classic country and rock EP, Cavaliers Into Cadillacs.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Kandice Smith Photography

Though new to us, Noah has opened for the likes of Ashley McBryde and The Steve Miller Band. He’s a big proponent of his local scene, running a monthly songwriter showcase called “Noah Smith’s Crooner Circus.” He’s just hit our radar through his new EP, recorded at his home studio in Cincinnati, USA mostly in full live takes, Cavaliers Into Cadillacs.

The EP blends country and rock and opens with the acoustic bombast of Don’t Break My Fall. Things build nicely through the intro before giving plenty of space to Noah’s charismatic vocals in the first verse. Their storytelling is emotional, and the track becomes nicely cinematic in the chorus.

Skinny Pedal On The Right takes the EP in a melancholic direction with a soul-searching acoustic number which ends anthemic. Secondhand Heartbreak keeps things slow while giving us a stirring narrative. Right Here With You goes old school with some haunting strings before injecting pop into the mix during a smouldering verse, then finally rock in the chorus. It’s a highlight.

How The Hell Am I Still Alive is a track that transitions between ruefulness into brightness through a slow-building composition before Diamonds In The Rough rounds off the EP. It feels like the perfect final chapter, reflecting on what has come while offering up an optimistic future. Noah’s vocals are at their most passionate during a final highlight of an outro.

There’s a touch of the classic about Noah’s new collection. It invokes the best of folk and country, as well as the gritty rock of Springsteen et al. His vocal delivery is beautifully compelling, as are his relatable lyrical stories.

Cavaliers Into Cadillacs features song-writing contributions from Blue Foley, Sinead Burgess, and Brock Butler. It’s out now and you can give it a listen below.