Cameron Smith - “Beneath the Wheel”

Imagine, if you will, an alternate universe where Lord Huron is fronted by a Bob Dylan/Conor Oberst hybrid. If you can picture that, then you are halfway to realizing the sheer awesomeness of Cameron Smith and his new track, “Beneath the Wheel.” Smith is a singer-songwriter from Fort Worth, TX. Other than a few people talking about how truly magnificent he is, that is the only detail that we could find.

But once you hear “Beneath the Wheel,” you are going to wonder why he’s not one of those artists that you hear on the radio every time you get into the car. This track has everything: top tier production, masterful recording, and every single sound is exactly where it’s supposed to be. Smith’s soft vocal fits perfectly atop the sonic canopy as he sings about “the journey life takes us on and what’s left of us by the end of it.” And in between each lyrical passage, it’s that glorious, reverberated guitar– the kind that makes you melt straight into the mix, nostalgic for a decade of music that, in all likelihood, occurred before you were even born– all wrapped in angelic backing vocals. Smith eventually places the lyrics of the verse inside the cocoon of a sweet vocal harmony, stepping the production level up a notch, widening the already perfect sound before allowing a harmonica to briefly take the spotlight. When the song is over, you don’t even realize that more than five minutes have passed.

As always, our words are meaningless if you do not take it upon yourselves to immediately play this thing. While “Beneath the Wheel” may not amp you up for an evening on the town, it will certainly guide you inward for some quiet reflection and soul searching, assuming that’s what you’re looking for (hint: that’s what you’re looking for). Press play:

-TM