Artist description The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith has just released his new album LIFE & DEATH, the long-awaited follow-up to 1998's IDEAS FOR SONGS which left critics stunned and audiences gasping for air. The new album contains 20 new songs about, appropriately enough, life and death. Check out the new songs, and the older ones too, if you haven't already. If you like what you hear, the DAM CD of LIFE & DEATH is now available here at mp3.com for a limited-time special low price of $6.00. Go ahead and order yourself a copy. Really. You're worth it.

Music Style Melodic, quirky, short pop songs based around acoustic guitar, keyboard, and harmonies.

Musical Influences The Beatles, Tori Amos, GOF UGNÜT, They Might Be Giants, Beck, Liz Phair, Whale, Radiohead, Sam Phillips, Elliott Smith, XTC, Crowded House, Ben Folds Five, Portishead, Lisa Germano, The Flaming Lips, Poe, 3 Honkees, R. E. M., James

Similar Artists Is anyone else out there recording 90 second alt-pop gems from leftfield? If so, then that would definitely be a silimar artist to The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith.

Artist History Best known to the world as the former frontman of international pop superstars GOF UGNÜT, the Rev. Smith has recently returned to the world of recording with his debut solo CD, IDEAS FOR SONGS. Despite years of immense popularity in Europe, Japan, and French-speaking Canada, only time will tell if the US will come to appreciate its own musical progeny.

Instruments Acoustic guitar, keyboard, vocals, computer, occasional loops

Albums IDEAS FOR SONGS (1998), LIFE & DEATH (1999)

Press Reviews ***** (out of 5) for IDEAS FOR SONGS "...twenty succinct and meticulously crafted songs [which] flaunt convention..." -Merkwürdige Musik ||| "Smith is taking pop music in a bold new direction, and those smart enough to follow along for the ride can only benefit from imitation..." -Akira Usei, Kyoto Review ||| *1/2 (out of 5) for IDEAS FOR SONGS "Never the true talent behind GOF UGNÜT's staggering popularity, Smith's abundance of musical weaknesses are laid bare here on his first solo recording." -Carmelo Fruci, Odio di Musica

Additional Info After years on the BINADOPTA Recordings label, Rev. Smith has decided to avoid major labels altogether in favor of making self-produced home recordings and being able to sell his CDs to the public at a lower price. You can check out even more RealAudio of songs by The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith at his music website (see below).

Location Mountain View, CA - USA

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