There is probably no greater compliment from a Hopkins student than to say that a band makes good studying music. In the midst of midterms, sibling trio Kitty, Daisy & Lewis will keep you not just focused but downright cheerful. Smoking In Heaven is a pop throwback that still manages to sound fresh, tossing basically every type of genre and instrument into this collection of songs.
As all three of the Durham siblings are multi-instrumentalists and have been performing together since 2000, the ease and talent of the tunes here is no surprise. The album launches with "Tomorrow," a seamless blend of beachy Hawaiian and ska (featuring Jamaican trumpeter Edie "Tan Tan" Thorton). Daisy Durham's vocals are endlessly charming, like a ‘60s diva.
Though Smoking In Heaven is only the trio's sophomore effort, the material here is an ineffable combination of wise beyond its years and charmingly naïve. It's refreshing to see musicians playing straight from the heart — no frills, just the music itself coming alive for the listener. That each of the Durham siblings takes the lead on vocals at one point or another is easily the album's best feature.
Lewis Durham's tracks — "Don't Make A Fool Out Of Me" and "I'm Coming Home" — are particular standouts. While his sisters' voices are excellent in their own right, toeing the line between innocent and sultry, Lewis Durham gives his songs a rawer mood.
"Don't Make A Fool Out Of Me" sounds like it could be coming out of a jukebox decades ago, with Lewis Durham singing plaintively over shuffling drums and spouting lines like "Well, now you told me honey baby that you was happy now / But you went and found yourself another man anyhow." Meanwhile, "I'm Coming Home" veers away from the done-me-wrong sentiment, but it loses a bit of steam because of its quiet, guitar-strummed gentleness. Every song here has its own unique flavor. "I'm Going Back," with Daisy Durham on vocals, is a rockabilly gem, all swinging guitars with double bass keeping the rhythm. It's pure vintage in feel, but the band's obvious passion is there and it makes this track a fun listen. Most of the material is as traditional sounding as the lo-fi equipment and ‘50s instruments that it was recorded with. The song structures are simple and bluesy, recalling everyone from Chuck Berry to Elvis at times.
Still, the one caveat to Smoking is that the songs can sound a little too similar at times. Also, there are times when Kitty, Daisy & Lewis veer towards being too authentic. It's somehow easier to imagine this power trio in a smoky club in 1950 than it is to imagine them opening for Coldplay (which they did on their last world tour).
Still, if you're looking for an album that recalls a truly bygone era, Smoking In Heaven is an interesting, enjoyable listen. These songs of love and loss are, of course, just as applicable in 2011 as they would be listened to on vinyl decades ago.
