2007 NOVEMBER 22 #326
Thomas Stephen Smith - Fresh Start (LP)
MP3:
01. Love Will Find a Way (3:35)
02. And When All Is Said and Done (2:55)
03. Holy, Holy, Holy (2:45)
04. Loco Boy Made Good (3:55)
05. Anything Worth Doin' Is Worth Doin' Right (4:02)
06. There Is a Way (4:12)
07. Turn Around and See (2:51)
08. Fresh Start (3:31)
09. One Song (4:09)
10. You've Gotta Hear It To Believe It (3:06)
When I came across the "Fresh Start" 7" at my local library, I was pretty sure I had found the greatest record ever recorded. But I was a bit saddened that a search on the web for the artist's name, "Thomas Stephen Smith," brought up next to no information. What I didn't realize is that his name is actually spelled "Thomas Steven Smith" and that Mr. Smith recorded an entire album with the same name as its lead single. Interestingly, the labels on both the 7" and the LP spell his middle name "Stephen," but the cover of the LP uses the (presumably) correct spelling of "Steven."
Thankfully, my ol' buddy Paul surprised me with this gem for my birthday last month. BEST GIFT EVER. Let me tell you right now: the album is every bit as good as I had hoped it would be. What I loved most about the 7" was that it sounded like the theme to a non-existent 80s sitcom, perhaps a spin-off of Perfect Strangers that didn't involve Urkel. In addition to the title track, I think tracks 1, 4, and 6 would all make fine sitcom themes.
Rest assured, I'm doing some research and trying to piece together a full history of TSS. I've even contacted a church mentioned in the liner notes, but alas, haven't heard anything back from them.
- Contributed by: Ryan MacMichael
Images: Front Cover, Back Cover, Label Side One, Label Side Two, Lyrics Side One, Lyrics Side Two
