Music review: Patty Smyth – 鈥業t鈥檚 About Time鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 About Time鈥� is the aptly titled latest effort from Patty Smyth. The album is a pleasant surprise and a fresh reminder about the singer-songwriter鈥檚 talent for crafting and delivering memorable songs.
While it might serve as a brief reintroduction to her music, it certainly is as welcomed as it is unexpected.
Smyth started her musical journey as the lead singer and focal point of Scandal by dishing out infectious tracks like 鈥淕oodbye to You,鈥� 鈥淟ove鈥檚 Got a Line on You鈥� and 鈥淭he Warrior.鈥�
After Scandal disbanded, Smyth continued on her own and released two albums that featured the standout tracks 鈥淣ever Enough鈥� and 鈥淪ometimes Love Just Ain鈥檛 Enough.鈥�
Things have been pretty quiet after 1992鈥檚 self-titled release with Smyth slowing things down to concentrate on her marriage to tennis great John McEnroe and the raising of her family.
Twenty-eight years later, Smyth is poised to make a comeback with a new album containing six original tracks of reflective ballads and spirited anthems as well as two engaging covers.
鈥淒rive鈥� is the sentimental opener about the fond memories between Smyth and her sister and the urge to reconnect once again as Smyth sings, 鈥淲e were young/We were free/Ruled the world/You and me.鈥�
Things heat up quickly as Smyth delivers one of the best tracks of her career with 鈥淏uild a Fire.鈥� The smoldering number demonstrates Smyth鈥檚 enduring love for her husband after 23 years of marriage and spotlights the passion that still burns as they continue to navigate both the good and bad times together as she confesses, 鈥淢y hands must be tattooed all over you by now/I placed a million crazy kisses on your mouth/I鈥檝e been holding you so long, I鈥檝e lost all track of time.鈥�
Once invited to join Van Halen by guitar great Eddie Van Halen, Smyth鈥檚 voice is still as vibrant as ever as she infuses a sexy streetwise tone when delivering 鈥淣o One Gets What They Want鈥� and 鈥淥nly One.鈥�
Smyth covers 鈥淒owntown Train鈥� by Tom Waits for a second time and gives it a stripped-down feel that showcases her gorgeous vocals as the native New Yorker speaks from experience when declaring, 鈥淭he downtown trains are full/With all those Brooklyn girls/They try so hard to break out of their little worlds.鈥�
As we all know, Smyth managed to bust out of her little world in a big way. With a 38-year career in the books so far, the 63-year-old still has plenty of time to add to her numerous musical highlights.