Curt Smith
Aeroplane EP
Zerodisc

Curt Smith, former half of 80s Brit rock icons Tears For Fears, was discarded and forgotten by the masses after departing with Roland Orzabal and taking the solo route. He became Mayfield, and released one full length that met with a mild response. Now just remember this phrase: Curt is no longer Mayfield and he kicks ass.

With the return of his own moniker and the release of a new EP, Curt has taken what was the Tears For Fears style of 80s pop and melded it with the sweeping emotional pop sound of the new style of Brit rock. This EP represents a middle ground of the departure from both Mayfield and Tears for Fears and the current path Smith is walking. The 6 track CD features "Snow Hill" and "Reach Out:" two tunes remixed from the Mayfield CD. The "Snow Hill" remix is an above average song. Very pretty and arranged well, but surprisingly non-evolving. I could listen to it and never hate it, but I can't see it turning up on any mix tapes or CD compilations. Let¹s do a 180 for the remix of "Reach Out." This is a great song and would be exactly the type of tune you would want to hear on a mix in the middle of a road trip. This would be the point of the trip when you set the beer down, toss out the roach and enjoy.

Out of the two new songs offered, "Where Do I Go" is the perfect b-side. A beautiful song that maybe wouldn¹t make it on it's own as a single, but is a perfect companion to the sheer brilliance of other new track "Aeroplane." This track helped me to realize how well Curt can sing and write a tune, and made me feel slightly like I was listening to what should have come after Seeds of Love. "Aeroplane" is beautifully arranged and never once lets you slip away until it's perfectly timed ending. These two tracks are supposed to represent the sound of his forthcoming solo CD. Fine with me! Both songs left me yearning for more. Much more. Now let¹s get to what actually made me track down the EP in the first place and made me realize that the CD had much more to offer.

Curt puts a new spin on two Tears for Fears classics. First up is "Pale Shelter." WOW! This has to be the best reworking of a tune I've ever blared in my stereo. It not only showcases Curt's growth after T.F.F., but also gives us a taste of an old codger that still has the power and pop sensibility to knock new brats like Oasis and such off the stage. The other gem is a live acoustic version of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World." It's done with perfection and the only thing that is slightly missed is that intro from the original. But if you're like me you grew up with the song you've heard it plenty and can just let that part jingle along in your head while the acoustic version is playing. Curt has two things to say about the reworks and new EP: "The Aeroplane EP gives me the chance to showcase tracks from my upcoming full length CD, while finally releasing a couple of re-worked Tears For Fears, recorded live that have been sitting in my studio gathering dust for the last couple of years." Or "I'm just cashing in on my former glory." Either way this is amazing CD. It maybe only contains 6 tracks, but it's strong and potent as any full length. Hopefully the Tears for Fears tracks will get people interested and then let them try and struggle free from Curt's well-laid pop web. So un-knuckle some change and get this worth-every-penny CD. Thanks Curt.

- Jeff Turner

Track Listing:

1. Aeroplane
2. Pale Shelter
3. Where Do I Go
4. Snow Hill (remix)
5. Reach Out (remix)
6. Everybody Wants To Rule The World (live acoustic)