Kit Smith & Tanya Livingstone

KIT SMITH AND TANYA LIVINGSTONE
CENTRAL CONNECTION
1. Built With My Heart
2. Drive
3. The Space In Me
4. With Your Fire
5. Flying To You
6. Free To The River
7. Sweet Love
8. Dream Her Dreams
9. Allison
10. Thanks To You


I have to admit I didn't think I was going to like this when I first got it, I normally don't listen to what I'd call ADULT EASY LISTENING and that's what I thought this CD was going to be...
I was pleasently surprised, and it couldn't have came at a better time!

With the loss of a close friend I wasn't feeling the most upbeat and was headed to work when I found this disc in my mailbox. I instantly put it in and was swept away to a calm warm place. It made me feel good inside. It wasn't depressing or moody it was cool and gentle and heartfelt.

You can tell that KIT and TANYA both are amazing song writers, for this record is most definately a songwriters record. Deep lyrics are spun together alongside amazing compositions. Banjos, Mandolin's, Beautiful Acoustic guitar and stunning vocals come together seemlessly.

This is beautiful!

One of my favorite tracks is definately
THE SPACE IN ME
I can close my eyes and lay back and just chill... and smile to myself. The two voices blend so wonderfully together and compliment one another perfectly.

I would compare Kit's voice to a smoother ROB THOMAS and TANYA has a very pure and warm voice not heard since possibly Allison Krauss but completely different at the same time.

I think the slower songs such as FLYING TO YOU really grab me, this one lets TANYA shine, the guitar is so perfect and her voice.. honestly I could listen to the song without music and just listen to her and be perfectly satisfied. DO NOT COMPARE HER TO ANY OTHER GIMICK FEMALE SINGER she is true.

One thing truely amazes me about this record is that KIT plays almost every instrument. Yet it sounds so perfect, you'd think an entire band was backing these two.

I know I normally go through each and every track and review each one, but this time I don't think it's neccessary. If you like one track you will like them all. SO PLEASE I BEG YOU support these two.. they are headed somewhere and I hope to meet them along the way!


*review by the dead puppy* - Reviewed by Terry Rice

Kit Smith and Tanya Livingstone "Central Connection" (Song Crisis Records) – Blending Americana, pop and folk, singer-songwriters Kit Smith and Tanya Livingstone (Topeka, Blind Ruby) have released an exceptional 10-song collection.

Standouts on "Central Connection" include the vocal harmonies-rich "Sweet Love," yearning "Flying To You" and alt country treasure "Dream Her Dreams."

Anyone who enjoyed the winning collaboration from Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs released in April, "Under the Covers, Vol. 1," will enjoy the magic of Smith and Livingstone blending melodious voices and distinct writing styles on this disc.

Information: www.myspace.com/kitandtanya

You might like if you enjoy: Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs' "Under the Covers, Vol. 1," Aimee Mann, Gram Parsons - Reviewed by Robert Kinsler

For the past decade, Kit Smith and Tanya Livingstone have had some sort of musical connection. Developing a close friendship over those many years have led to the kind of dynamics that have found them awarded prestigious awards for “Best Song” and “Best Performer”. This album showcases this deep friendship and musical connection with an alt. country and Americana slant to them. Nice songwriting with great vocals and perfect arrangements.
- J-Sin - Reviewed by J. Sin

In 1996, when Kit Smith was recording his first album, "Stronger Man" (Bitemark Records), he began searching for a certain female voice to fill an empty space in his songs. When a friend tipped him off to Tanya Livingstone, he knew he found that perfect fit. But while the duo continued to collaborate off and on through the years, the timing wasn't quite as perfect. Each had settled down to start families and lived many miles apart, putting music on hold. A chance meeting at a Santa Barbara songwriting conference last year changed everything. "Both our marriages were ending around the same time and we talked about writing and recording together again," Smith says of Livingstone, a flight attendant who splits her time between her kids in Orange County and Smith in Emeryville. "We wrote the song 'Drive' that weekend and then followed up with our CD 'Central Connection.' With songs like 'The Space in Me,' 'Thanks to You,' and 'Flying to You,' the album is very much about the last year of our lives." Check out the jet-setting couple Friday night at the Red Vic Sessions before they fly off on a tour of Great Britain.

Lineup: Kit Smith and Tanya Livingstone perform live as an acoustic duo with guitars and the occasional banjo and mandolin.

1. Kit and Tanya's music should be filed between:

Matthew Sweet (he writes great pop songs and puts out great records, although his live shows usually suck and sound unrehearsed), Shawn Colvin (we often refer to her beautiful acoustic-driven records when we are in the studio), the Waterboys. We would love to be on the same shelf as these artists. Even in the same proximity would be an honor.

2. The soundtrack to what movie would your music best match?

"Bonnie and Clyde," because it's romantic, rebellious and original.

3. If you could collaborate on a song with any person, living or dead, who would that be?

Kit's vote: Mike Scott of the Waterboys because he's the most literate songwriter of this era -- even without ego or the support of MTV. Tanya's vote: Neil Finn, formerly of Crowded House, because he writes perfect pop songs with great harmony and emotion. And he's a hottie. I would love to write a song or even a grocery list with him.

4. If a junior high school asked you to play a cover song at the next talent show, what song and school would you choose?

"Afternoon Delight," by Starland Vocal Band, for obvious lyrical reasons. Both Tanya and I have memories of being kids in the '70s driving in the backseat of Daddy's station wagon and hearing this song come on the radio. It gave us both lasting memories of being moved by a great pop hook. Only later in life did we realize that the lyrics were about fornicating in the afternoon.

5. What is the meaning of life?

Doing our part to steer evolution in the right direction and cleaning up after ourselves. - Interview by Delfin Vigil for 96 hours (Bay Area Bandwidth)

"Whether performing haunting tales or more upbeat tunes, Smith's distinctive voice and sincere messages hit home."
- Reviewed by Robert Kinsler

Harmonies are the highlight of the latest release from Kit Smith and Tanya Livingstone. The duo weaves their voices tighter than your granny’s throw rugs. Smith has a delivery like Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz, while Livingstone sails high above, a cross between Shawn Colvin and Alison Krauss. Banjo, pedal steel and electric and acoustic guitars add to the folk-meets-pop vibe.
Highlights from the record include “Flying to You” (“I wave goodbye to all my ghosts and ride the jetstream up the coast”), “Dream Her Dreams” (“Crumble down the walls she built too high / She’s gonna start the car and drive”) and “Built With My Heart” (“Hearts can change their minds, it happens all the time / Fools can sift through gold only to find the rust and the grime”).
Central Connection conveys a real sense of freedom. From the liberating lyrics and spacious arrangements to the solid harmonies, Smith and Livingstone have definitely given us something to connect with. - by Mare Wakefield

Though these two San Francisco-area singer/songwriters began performing together after Smith’s first album Stronger Man in 1996, this is their first collaboration on record. After hearing this, your first question will be, what took them so long? First off, Livingstone (Topeka, Blind Ruby) has a tremendous voice, and the three songs in which she sings lead (“Drive”, “Flying To You”, “Allison”) are immense highlights. But her sweet voice also melds magnificently and harmoniously with Smith, complementing his thick, expressive pipes perfectly on the remaining seven tunes. Further, the backing music is an exquisite and succulent combination of folk, alt-country, and Americana, with Smith contributing banjos, mandolins, pedal steel, and keyboards to supplement the consoling acoustic guitars. A deeply rich and heartfelt LP, this is one partnership you hope will last. - Mark Suppanz

Often I ask myself, why certain artist(s) make a bomb of a world hit when somebody else with equal or even better material doesn’t or almost doesn’t get a chance. Take the song “ Flying to You” which you can find on the debut album “Central Connection” from the duo Kit Smith & Tanya Livingstone...pink elephants in the air, butterflies in your tummy....the amazing feeling of being in love.....chocolate hearts, red roses....it feels like Valentines day is on its way. Absolutely Marvelous and should the song with nolage of business end up in some kind of commercial then the sandwich of the duo from San Francisco is baked. It would be a nice reward for their now 10 years of musical cooperation which started after the recording of Smith’s album “ Stronger Man” (1996, Bitemark Records) and with (for now) the highlight of the album “Central Connection” counts. Hanging on the line between Folk/pop/Americana the duo comes out very strong with there 10 self -written harmonious “passionate & heart - felt songs”. The opening song “ Built with My heart” the country accents (Banjo, pedal, steel, mandolin) on “Drive” and “Dream Her Dreams” and what about “ We’ve got tonight” (Bob Seger) similar to “The Space in Me” are just a few things that make sure that this album is an absolute direct hit.
- Francois