Concert Preview: Alice Smith at Avalon

Perhaps with all the recent hype surrounding UK soul sensation Amy Winehouse, you plum forgot about Alice Smith, who made a bit of a splash her own damn self last Fall.

Smith's debut album For Lovers, Dreamers & Me on ultra hip UK underground hip hop label BBE (J Dilla, Pete Rock, DJ Vadim, "Return Of The Magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff," etc.) is just as impressive as Amy's heralded sophomore effort Back to Black. And Boston's in for a treat because both Amy and Alice are playing Avalon -- Alice tonight and Amy May 7th (we'll have more on Amy next week).

Not that the two chanteuses have all that much in common. As much as we love Amy's voice, there's little doubt Alice could blow her off the stage with her four octave range and bluesy pipes that can switch from pull-out-the-stops operatic bombast one moment to subtle, soulful swagger the next.

And Alice's For Lovers is much more eclectic than Amy's hip hop influenced update on early '60s R&B and girl groups, Motown, and early '70s Philly Soul. With Alice you get your hip hop beats, you get your neo-soul favor and contemporary R&B feel. Sure. But you also get swirls of groovy Beatlesesque psychedelic rock and blasts of Broadway show tune bravado. Seriously. Just check the irresistible Beatles-cum-Broadway bounce of "Dream," below (which Alice and BBE have made available for free download on Smith's myspace page and elsewhere).

Smith really should blow up bigger than Alicia Keys and Norah Jones combined. We're not gonna hold out breath till that happens. But, in the meantime, Bostonist will rest easy knowing that, any time we want, we can dial up Alice on the iPod and instantly feel good. Damn good.

Alice Smith opens for Citizen Cope at Avalon, Thursday, April 26, 8pm (7pm doors). All ages, $25.

Alice Smith: website | myspace | Dream.mp3

Post contributed by Matt Durutti