Outro by Ben Smith

OUTRO is my first full-length record since 2018's Picardy. I had a conversation with my friend Molly last year where I put it out there that "outros" were my favorite part of a song. I'm not sure that's entirely true, but what I love about them is that you’ve heard all the parts of the song so far, you’ve learned all the moves. They often feel like the distillation of the whole song. It was all emotionally leading to this moment. Repetition, mantra, or wordless, high emotions. The musicians are just going for it. The anticipation of the end.

And well, I’m also thinking a lot about the end. Take that whatever way you want to take it. If you need some options: our country and its democratic ideals, the inevitable warming of the planet, or, I don't know, life in general. Or, if you prefer, the good endings--I don't know--New Year's Eve parties? The last day on a job or a retirement. Graduations. The last page of a good book. Leaving an old home for a new one. I love a big, joyous, and loud ending. I love the potential beauty of the inevitable.

So what's that mean in regards to this collection of songs? I don't know. You tell me.

​There's "Cloudy for the Eclipse"--another title from something Marc said--or texted in this case about the most recent solar eclipse. It just struck me as funny, how disappointed people were around here that the view of the eclipse wasn’t as great as they hoped--when our ancestors would have thought it was the end of the world. And we’re upset that our ocean view isn’t as good as it used to be. That kind of thing.

"What Do They Know? pushes back on all the endings I’ve been experiencing lately--deaths, grief, doom purveyors, people who think they know it all. "Two Carolines" came from another conversation with Molly. Just an off-the-cuff remark about Caroline Rose and Caroline Polachek and how “Two Carolines” would be a good title. And then I imagined these strong women taking over the world. And ending men. Or something like that. "Used to Be" is about the end of who you once were. "Version of Me" and "Wash Them All Away" are both about escapes. I seem to write about escapes a lot. "Check Please" is about the end of a relationship--and how it’s not so bad if you get a song out of it. "Backwards God" is a song about the dogs we’ve lost and will lose--and how lucky we are to have them. There's a song I didn't finish titled "Right to Oblivion." I guess that will have to wait until next time.

One of the goals for this album was to include more people, and I did pretty well on that account. Some frequent collaborators, some new ones, and some I haven't played with in a long time. I'm excited for you to hear how great my friends are. Matt Magarahan, Tim Celfo, and Sean Hoots are back for some songs. As is Brad Hinton and our friend Phil D'Agostino. It was a joy to invite Dr. Dog's Eric Slick to play drums on 6 of the tracks--and to get Eliza Hardy Jones on backing vocals. And I just loved getting to work with Neil Cavanagh again, probably 30 years (!) since we last played together in college--in an early-Genesis, Yes tribute band. (Return of the Giant Hogweed, I guess!) And if that doesn't show my age, Alex Weinstein and I "met" on MySpace years ago. He plays lovely acoustic guitar on "Backwards God."

It was fun to go back to Miner Street Recordings to mix these songs. Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey are great people with great ears and taste and knowledge.

And how about that album art by Brian Langan? I just love it.

West Chester, PA songwriter Ben Smith's songs sound good in both your front parlor and your back barroom---all Tin Pan Alley piano and a fading choirboy voice.

bensmithsongs.com
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