Parker Smith “Short Street”

Parker Smith’s “Short Street” is a reasonable, Atlanta-focused offering, ultimately lacking sufficient high-quality songs to elevate it above the mainstream.

“Short Street” is Smith’s third studio LP; Smith started the record with the intention of creating an acoustic release, giving it the title of “Friend Ships“,  after a song on the album, however as the creative process progressed, both the style of presentation and the album title changed. The title “Short Street” again references a song on the record, but it also refers to an area of Smith’s home town of Atlanta, following a trend from Smith’s two previous studio releases, 2011’s “Garden Hills” and “Underground” from 2021 (also areas of Atlanta).

If you’re thinking “2011 to 2021, that’s a long time between drinks” you’re quite correct. However Smith doesn’t just put out albums; having studied music business courses and attended Bruce Hornsby’s songwriting programme at the University of Miami, Smith went on to gain a Masters of Education degree, before returning to Atlanta and in 2015 started Guitar Shed (a music school). On start-up, Guitar Shed had just four pupils, but it has grown rapidly, to its current position with 30 instructors and more than 400 pupils, covering a range of instruments; quite an achievement. In addition to his two previous studio albums, Smith has released two live albums; 2012’s “Solo Flight” and 2023’s “Live Bandwith Vol. 1“, Bandwith being the name of Smith’s backing band.

Album opener ‘Air Stream‘ references the iconic silver caravan and tells the story of a camping trip in cold temperatures, casting envious thoughts the way of a couple in the next pitch, cosy and warm in their Airstream. It’s set to a catchy tune, with John Kingsley’s pedal steel and Colin Agnew’s drums and percussion prominent. ‘Mothers‘ is a standout track on the record; it’s Smith’s tribute to his mother-in-law, with lyrics “She might not be my mother,  But she’s a mother to me“. There’s also a nod to Smith’s wife, with “You’ve got your mother’s eyes and that’s alright with me“. Musically this song is reminiscent of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ ‘Here Comes My Girl‘ (particularly the guitar parts) also, at times the melody brings to mind ‘My Baby Loves Me (Just the Way That I Am)‘, a Gretchen Peters song most famously recorded by Martina McBride (as ‘My Baby Loves Me‘).

‘Anna Lee‘ brings the tempo down somewhat and is another highlight. It’s a love song to Mrs. Smith, illustrating the twists and turns, the ups and downs of married life “This journey is my own, but I don’t have to walk alone, We can walk it side by side, It’s on your shoulders I’ll get by“. It features some great guitar playing, including a solo, by Smith. The title track ‘Short Street‘ is about the Chomp and Stomp festival that takes place each November in Atlanta’s famous Cabbagetown district in the area of the former Fulton Cotton Mill. The festival features bluegrass music, beer and a chili ‘cook off’ all in the aid of benefitting the Cabbagetown community. It’s a good time song and sees Smith paying homage to his home town. The chorus goes “A southern way in a cotton mill town, Narrow streets and a shotgun house, There’s a new smell cooking in cabbage town, Get there soon before the chili runs out“. The lyrics continue “The grass is blue and the sky is green, Upside down and in between, Each set I take another stroll, Down the street for another bowl“.

‘Friend Ships‘ looks back on bad behaviour growing up; shoplifting, drugs, and through it all the friendships, some of which continue, others that have expired. The LP comes to a conclusion with ‘Surround Sound‘, a celebration of everyday life; “Listen to the school bus, Listen to the garbage truck, Listen to the train tracks, Listen to the children laugh“. The chorus repeats “Let the sound, surround“. The sound here is stripped down, compared to the other songs on the record, featuring just guitar, vocals, upright bass and background vocals.

This is a record that includes some good songs, with strong melodies, but there aren’t enough really good songs to make it stand out from the crowd. That said, it’s certainly worth a listen.