As anyone who’s spent some time on the Garden State Parkway knows, people from New Jersey come out a bit differently from the rest of us. There’s a particular blend of hometown pride and hard-earned bravado here that few states can match.
For Zak Smith, this attitude defines his world view, as much as it does his music. A man sympathetic to unifying causes like Occupy Wall Street, Smith has brought together his own unified front with his powerhouse band. Stocking a tight five-piece with soaring harmonies and thunderclap guitars, he’s created a unique blend of rock Americana that’s just as much a family as the colorful characters pointed to throughout his new album.
Over a voice coated with as much honey as it’s covered in grit, Smith has just released his debut full-length, collecting together a signature batch of tunes reflecting his outlook, both personally and politically. – Read Mike Levine’s interview with Zak Smith here.