Eef Barzelay, the creative force behind Clem Snide, delivers another poignant masterpiece with Oh Smokey, the band’s tenth album. Following his collaboration with Scott Avett on Forever Just Beyond, Barzelay teams up this time with Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman, Hiss Golden Messenger), a longtime admirer of Clem Snide. Kaufman not only produced the album but infused it with his distinct musical sensibilities, crafting richly layered arrangements that frame Barzelay’s reflective songwriting.
“Josh brought such tenderness and precision to these songs,” Barzelay shares. “He handled most of the instrumentation, leaving me to just stumble in and sing my lines.” The result is a collection of tracks that maintain Clem Snide’s signature blend of emotional honesty and wry humor while delving even deeper into themes of faith, mortality, and transformation.
Barzelay describes Oh Smokey as “slow, sad songs about God and death,” but the album is far from bleak. The opening track, “Free,” begins with an unexpected sense of hope, its call to “all the sunbeams” juxtaposed against raw acoustic strumming, haunting electric guitar, and ethereal backing vocals reminiscent of Leonard Cohen’s later works. From there, the album unfolds like a quiet meditation on life’s complexities.
The centerpiece, “All Was Revealed,” captures the fleeting moment between life and the unknown, with Barzelay’s understated vocals surrounded by a hypnotic, dreamlike arrangement that feels both weightless and deeply grounded. Tracks like “Air Show Disaster” and “At Your Command” embrace fragility with a Nick Drake-like intimacy, while “Smokey” wanders beautifully through Neil Young-inspired terrain, punctuated by grumbling electric guitars and an undercurrent of regret.
“Angel Canyon (Song for Dan)” offers a poignant exploration of life’s transitions, imagining an afterlife shaped by choices and moments of grace. Though the themes may seem heavy, Barzelay’s storytelling lends a sense of warmth and acceptance, transforming melancholy into something tender and life-affirming.
At its core, Oh Smokey reflects Barzelay’s resilience amidst personal upheaval. Following the end of his 25-year marriage, leaving Nashville after two decades, and parting ways with his manager, Barzelay channels his experiences into an album that feels deeply personal yet universally resonant.
If Forever Just Beyond marked a return to form for Clem Snide, Oh Smokey takes it further. It’s a record of quiet power and emotional depth, offering solace and reflection to those willing to sit with its introspective beauty. Barzelay’s ability to blend vulnerability with wry humor shines brighter than ever, making Oh Smokey one of Clem Snide’s most compelling works to date. – Jason Felton