April Smith and the Great Picture Show

Songs for a Sinking Ship (Little Roscoe)

By Daniela Garcia
Published: March 12th, 2010 | 7:00am

April Smith is nothing if not a grassroots musician. Instead of signing up with a big name music label, Smith and her band (the Great Picture Show) went the indie route and presented their future album as a project on Kickstarter, a Web site that helps artists gain support and funding from their fans. With donations of $13,000 at their disposal (their initial goal was only $10,000), Smith and co. created Songs for a Sinking Ship — an album that could even put the pros to shame.

Smith’s confident swagger throughout this album can’t be ignored. Her music is made up of various influences (swing, folk, country, blues, and cabaret) and she uses a handful of different instruments throughout all of her songs, including an upright bass, horns, strings, piano, and what certainly sounds like a kazoo solo in “Colors.” All this topped off with Smith’s snappy and playful lyrics creates a fun, cohesive sound. Make no mistake, though: April Smith has got the pipes to back up her sassy songs. She can belt out her lyrics with a wide range that was luckily bestowed upon her tiny, 5’2” frame.

Songs for a Sinking Ship showcases everything from toe-tapping tunes (“Movie Loves a Screen”) to slow and sweet songs (“What’ll I Do?”). Former demos like “The One That Got Away” and “Wow and Flutter” are reintroduced with a new, bright, and polished sound. While Smith does get a little sentimental in songs like “Beloved,” she immediately bounces back with the upbeat, cheeky “Flutter”: “I could take a great big bite out of you / When I get my cake, I like to eat it too / I cannot help myself if I find you simply delicious.” This solid sophomore album ends on a high note with “Stop Wondering,” where Smith addresses whether she spends all her time thinking of a boy: “Bitch, please / I’ve got better things to do.”

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April Smith and the Great Picture Show official site

April Smith and the Great Picture Show MySpace