The following is a brief summation of the sounds and spirit of The Spring Standards. Born and bred in the Delaware Valley, this trio of songsters now call Brooklyn, New York their home, like much of their musical brethren. Comprised of a lass named Heather and two boys named James, the songs they Smith will Robb your heart, that much is Cleare. Brought up on the music of their elders, they drew much of their inspiration from those times, learning the power of song from artists you all know, The Beatles, James Taylor, Crosby, Stills and the other one.
Longtime friends and cohorts, by the time any of us had heard of them, they’d been working on their craft and crafting their works for many years under many names, with their passion for vocal harmony always in their foremost thoughts. It’s fast upon a first listen to feel the power of their pipes, the James boys being blessed with throats of velvet, and Heather with the wind of a foghorn. Sure, they’ve got more than enough facilities for plucking strings and tapping keys, but they never did have much luck finding a drummer. No matter. One can stomp a floor cannon, the other on the sock cymbals, and with their one free hand, they can wallop a snare drum with the best of ‘em. Problem solved, and we wouldn’t know the difference.
Never fans of the well-trodden roads of sentimental claptrap, their lyrics ring true whenever falling on eager ears. They sing not of the easy-breezy romances so often seen in Hallmark cards and on the silver screen, but of life’s true loves, uncertain and trying. They sing of Life’s Great Joys, found, lost, found again and lost once more. The things we wanted and what we found instead. Things not turning out how we’d hoped, but turning out all the same. As Heather sings night after night, in different cities all far from home, “If it’s not hard to say, then it’s a lie.” Suffice to say, The Standards ain’t no lie. In their eyes, life’s not easy, but it sure can be beautiful when a few voices come together just right. Many folks have found such solace in the latest fruits of their labor, aptly titled, Would Things Be Different. Such a title could be either a question or an answer, when you think about it. I suppose that’ll be up to you. [Adam Sturtevant]
