| "When I was
a little kid growing up in the Midwest, I remember
lying in bed in my cowboy pajamas watching the emergency
lights from the snowplow dancing on the ceiling, and listening
to my red transistor radio. That's kind of what this is about."
--Stuffy Shmitt, NYC, August 2003
The third release from recording artist STUFFY SHMITT, Other
People's Stuff (Realistic Records) is an upbeat and
thoroughly enjoyable musical journey of fourteen cover tunes
expertly spanning decades and genres, resulting in a richly
produced, multi-dimensional listening experience. Shmitt's
interpretation of these fourteen covers is a departure from
his previous two self-penned releases (Dog
Steal The Moon, Nothing Is Real/
Realistic Records). Yet his love, understanding and
respect for the song writing process shines through in his
production, musical arrangements, mixes and vocal performances.
Shmitt's supporting cast of players on Other
People's Stuff is outstanding, and includes special
appearances by celebrities and legends such as David Johansen
(NY Dolls, Buster Pointdexter, The Harry Smiths), Levon Helm
(The Band), Gordon Gano (The Violent Femmes), Jayotis Washington
(The Persuasions), Willy DeVille (Mink DeVille), and Stockard
Channing (The West Wing, Grease).
Tying the effort together are Shmitt's lush vocals and top-notch
guitar playing, which make this CD timeless and infinitely
listenable. And what's even more impressive is that, through
his production choices, Shmitt manages to pay tribute to the
original songwriters and performers of these tunes, while
at the same time, putting his personal thumbprint on the work,
making it fresh and undeniably his own.
On Other People's Stuff, Shmitt
once again proves his talent as a producer, and his capacity
to assimilate and finesse sounds to create the dynamic appropriate
for whatever tune he tackles. Recorded in an analog studio,
Other People's Stuff possesses
the warmth of the past and yet manages to be thoroughly modern.
New, yet familiar, Other People's Stuff
is a stunning addition to the Stuffy Shmitt library of CDs.
Stuffy Shmitt's albums Other People's
Stuff, Dog Steal The Moon
and Nothing Is Real are available
at cdbaby.com.
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