Brother Smith - La Sinfonía del Vaquero Suburbano

Dynamic vocals paired with a sonic landscape traversing everything from country to funk, soul, bluegrass, jazz, rock’n roll and more - that’s what you can expect on La Sinfonía del Vaquero Suburbano, the third full-length record from Kentucky-based collective Brother Smith.

The album’s 17 tracks take listeners on a roller coaster ride of emotions and sounds, with co-founder Wesley Smith’s light-hearted one-liners and enduring wisdom acting as a guiding light throughout. From the scat-like ‘Skipping Rocks’ to the album’s most country and bluegrass adjacent track, ‘Red to Black’, the elder Smith flexes his vocal muscles, showing off incredible range and a talent that few can match.

That being said, his bandmates are able to match (and then some). Wesley’s brother Aaron Smith takes charge on bluegrass-y ballad ‘Hymn #29’, while Amberly Winfrey brings a commanding, Yola-like presence to ‘101’.

Acting as interludes for listeners to return from the high of their mountainous harmonies are the album opening ‘Overture’, ‘Movement #2’ and ‘Movement #3’. Progressing in intensity, the tracks are spiced up fiddle tunes that fully round out the band’s worldly sound.

While Brother Smith has recorded several singles and EP’s in its current format, La Sinfonía marks the first time recording a full-on release together. Much like their live show, La Sinfonía keeps listeners on their toes with its twists, turns and musical progression. Its varying sounds and their flawless execution are also a reminder of the human spirit and how, despite our perceived differences, we all have more in common than not and are truly better together.

8.5/10

La Sinfonía del Vaquero Suburbano is out now.

Brother Smith

Artist