Dallas Smith Hopes To Deliver Timeless Country In Uncertain Times

When Dallas Smith released his 2016 studio album Side Effects it came with a bevy of singles, touring and critical success. Now he's returned with Timeless, another singles-filled effort following 2019's EP The Fall.

"I honestly just looked at that chunk of music as something individually," Smith says on the cusp of the new album's release. "Then as we started working on the back half of the second EP part of it then I kind of got a sense of the record taking shape. It just kind of took shape over time. As far as a record and listening to it front to back I knew what was missing and how I wanted this chapter to be represented."

Representing that chapter in terms of recording however during COVID-19 quarantine was another new adventure that Smith enjoyed.

"I had to quickly learn how to run and operate Pro Tools and be my own engineer in my bedroom here," he says. " Once we realized what needed to be done we got some equipment and the proper gear, the vocal chain. It was fairly easy and it was an interesting process for me. I wasn't at the mercy of the producer's mood and going back and forth with him. If I wasn't feeling it I wasn't feeling it and I'd go back later on. It was casual and enjoyable."

It should also be a fairly enjoyable listen for fans of the Default-cum-Canadian country star. While there are a few "out of the box" tunes like the '50s sounding doo wop of Damn Son, Timeless has party-starters such as Some Things Never Change featuring HARDY and Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Alone with Dean Brody and MacKenzie Porter.

Meanwhile the album's title track is a mid-tempo nugget Smith felt grateful for. But he knew it wasn't a song acclaimed songwriters (Tyler Hubbard, Brett Eldredge, David Garcia and Josh Miller) would simply drop in his lap.

"There are some pretty big named writers on that song," he says. "You build up a little bit of trust with those guys and the production team we got. They are not going to give those songs away if they think that you're going to mess it up.

"That was one of those ones that just came along and was sent to us and that just fit with what we're doing so well. It was one of those 'no-brainer' ones where you just look up to the heavens and go, 'Man, I can't believe I'm in a position where I get to sing a song like that.'"

With so much material to choose from at times, Smith lets his gut instincts lead the way.

"I think you just have to be very patient with it," he says. "If the song speaks to me at the right moment in life and I can feel myself connecting to the lyric, that would be put aside for sure. We just wait until we got those songs that speak to those things and work from there. I don't go in there rushing any decisions. I just let the process happen."

Another keeper is Like A Man, a song that was recently Smith's tenth #1 Country Song in Canada. The artist says the song is about keeping relationships fresh and young. He also says he's proud to be one of several emerging Canadian country musicians to have a hit atop country radio in Canada, something happening more often since Smith's 2012 debut Jumped Right In.

"I realized really quickly that number ones rarely happened for Canadian artists across the board. But as the years have gone on they started to happen more and more, they started to trickle in. Dean (Brody), Gord (Bamford), then I got one, then Lindsay Ell and Brett (Kissel) It just started to happen more and more. The whole tide is rising."

Smith is also looking forward to the Canadian Country Music Awards ceremony on September 27 which, given COVID-19 restrictions, is adapting to public health guidelines. Smith is up for four awards but says it's impressive just to see the show still happening.

"For them to be able to provide that for us still was a huge feat," he says. "It doesn't matter, all the awards and who wins does not matter. It's just a great thing to be able to get up there and have our three-and-a-half or four-minute chunk to show what we can do."

The singer also relished the chance to simply sit in a room with his band to perform Like A Man live, a video of which was released in August.

"I'm glad it was documented too because it was back during quarantine," Smith recalls. "Any bit of excitement we showed in performing that song was real because we hadn't played those songs in a long time and hadn't seen each other in a long time."

Unfortunately like any other musician in Canada, Smith doesn't have a crystal ball determining when touring will be permitted given health protocols. He's keeping busy on the business side and plans on touring behind Timeless next summer.

A recent Music Canada survey found that 85 per cent of artists will have a hard time getting by without touring revenue. And with venues closing or in dire financial straits, tour routing might be arduous at best. It's something Smith sees firsthand as one of his band members is working towards certification as an electrician.

His message to fans is simple.

"We recognize that a lot of fans are suffering," he says. "The best way is once we are best able to get back and going just let us know. Just let us know that you're ready to go and see us again. At least it gives us light at the end of the tunnel. It's not just a financial thing, more of a little less fear of the unknown. We'll tread water as best we can and support each other and see each other on the other side."

Timeless will be released August 28, 2020 via 604 Records.
Listen to it here.

Dallas Smith performs 'Like a Man' live from 604 Records Soundstage, Vancouver BC.