A soulful return from B.J. Smith as he reworks ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ with Joe Harvey-Whyte, weaving folk, country and Balearic soul into something timeless.
NuNorthern Soul continues its glowing run of late with another timeless release from long-time label contributor B.J. Smith, who returns to his beloved Dedications to the Greats series after a five-year break. The latest chapter, Dedications to the Greats Four: Don’t Be Cruel, finds Smith teaming up with pedal steel maestro Joe Harvey-Whyte for a deeply atmospheric and heartfelt reinterpretation of Billy Swan’s country-soul classic.
Smith’s series has always been about reinterpretation through emotion rather than imitation, and this new volume stays true to that spirit. Originally inspired by Swan’s own reimagining of the Elvis Presley hit, Smith and Harvey-Whyte create what can best be described as a “cover of a cover”, but one that breathes with its own quiet magic. The result is a lush, spacious and beautifully weighted piece of music that captures the warmth of Americana while folding in Smith’s unmistakable Balearic sensibility.
Across four versions, Smith builds an intricate world of sound that feels both organic and cinematic. The Mother Earth Version eases the listener in with rolling guitars and tender layers of harmony that shimmer under the surface. Earth Heart Version adds a dreamlike quality with Tamar Osborn’s flute lines that weave delicately through the rhythm, elevating the piece into something both soulful and transcendental. Root Earth Version digs deeper into the groove, letting the arrangement breathe across seven minutes of steady pulse and glowing instrumentation, while the Earth Heart Instrumental closes the set with pure musical storytelling.
Smith performs almost everything himself, from acoustic and electric guitars to keys, percussion and synths, using a careful selection of vintage and modern tools that give the record its warmth and texture. Harvey-Whyte’s pedal steel brings a beautiful ache to the arrangements, adding both grace and grit in equal measure.
Dedications to the Greats Four feels like a love letter to timeless songwriting and to the craft of reinterpretation. It is a record that sits perfectly within the NuNorthern Soul catalogue, balancing musicianship and emotion in equal measure. For collectors and deep listeners alike, this is one to treasure on vinyl.
Pre order the ‘Dedications to the Greats Four’ via Bandcamp here.
