Kendra Smith - KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, Santa Monica, California, May 31, 1995
It's always nice to stumble across a Kendra Smith recording I haven't heard before. Her discography, whether with the Dream Syndicate, Clay Allison/Opal or solo is not exactly extensive. But that's OK, because it's all so good. This half-hour KCRW session was taped during a promotional jaunt in support of her solo record on 4AD, Five Ways of Disappearing — though "promotional" is a strong word, perhaps. As discussed in the interview with host Chris Douridas, Kendra only planned to play one show over in NYC before hightailing it back to Humboldt County. Interesting to hear her talk a bit about her own unique ideas of how to present her stuff onstage, though ...
You could certainly tag Smith as a recluse, but really, it just seems like she became increasingly disinterested in the machinations of the music industry. And fair enough! Still, listening to the moody (yet playful) tunes she performs here, I'm pulling for a Kendra comeback one of these days. That song Smith contributed to the Leave No Trace soundtrack a few years back and her guest spot on the Dream Syndicate reunion LP were both terrific.
