Cyrus Smith - “Strawflowers”

Northern California-based singer-songwriter Cyrus Smith makes his way onto our blog with the stripped-back majesty of his latest single, “Strawflowers.”

The song opens with the raw and acoustic sounds of a nylon string guitar, strewn across the top of a lo-fi and modest rhythm. The warm tone of an electric bass emerges just as Smith begins his tender vocal delivery. Everything is exactly where it should be, completely authentic and gritty as it eases itself into your ears.

“Strawflowers” possesses all the qualities that initially made us such great fans of the folk genre, bearing a presence that sounds as though Smith is performing the track right before you, wherever it is that you’re listening. There’s nary an effect to be heard, other than the gentle polish of reverb, which provides a distinct ambience that we simply cannot get enough of.

The production reaches its triumphant peak as some additional layers of vocals break the surface. We are picking up some faint hints of both Gregory Alan Isakov and Ben Schneider, as Smith utilizes a softhearted crooning, which is perfectly matched with the emotive performance.

After hearing “Strawflowers,” we could not help but dig a bit deeper into Smith’s new album, Bloom. It is there that we found the ethereal glory of “Pour Me Out,” his previous single. This one beholds a stretched intro that permeates a raw, lo-fi production, almost as though originating from a music box. Listeners soon get another earful of that magnificent guitar work before the vocal sweeps in, carrying us away on an introspective journey, with heaps of dreamy ear candy along the way.

Upon listening to the work of Cyrus Smith, you will find yourself yearning to experience it in person, so we’re hoping that a tour is announced ASAP. Until then, please enjoy all eight tracks of Bloom:

-HD