ELI SMART : Boonie Town
Let us give you the honour of meeting Eli Smart. Released last month, Boonie Town is his latest EP and one of those albums that’ll have people constantly asking ‘why haven’t I heard this before?’ Coining his own genre, Aloha Soul, is the ultimate power move but it’s one that makes so much sense - fusing tantalising guitar riffs inspired by his hometown in Hawaii with warm and witty lyrics evolving from his love of soul music - Eli’s sound channels his life and inspirations into something totally new.
Coming across this album was a true blessing so naturally, we had to sit down with the singer to chat about his impeccable music, eye for design and his creative process.
Whereabouts are you based right now/how’s the whole COVID situation treating you? Can you also tell us a little bit about what you play & how you got started as a musician?
Ahh! Thank you so much for having me! I’ve been back home on Kauai (Hawaii) where I grew up, I’ve been here since the initial lockdown in March. It's been quite the year for us all. I feel very grateful to have been able to be home with my family in this wild time. Music, my family and my friends have kept me positive through this period, very grateful we’ve all managed to stay safe. I play guitar, bass and drums. I sing too and have been recently putting in time learning the Hawaiian lap steel guitar, that’s been a fun passion to explore lately. I grew up with a lot of music around all the time, both my parents and both my grandparents are musicians so I don’t think I ever really stood a chance. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
You recently released your latest EP ‘Boonie Town’ – how did this album come about? What’s the meaning behind the title?
Yeah I’m so stoked to have this batch of tunes out, it’s an amazing feeling putting out music. For me, Boonie Town captures the juxtaposition of the two places I call home, Kauai and my adopted home of Liverpool. The EP is very much my reaction to coming home to Kauai after graduating from uni in Liverpool, both places connect with a very deep part of me and influence the tunes I write and the sonic identity of the EP. Half of it was written in Liverpool and the other half was written on Kauai. It all came together after I’d been home for a minute and I was able to look at these four tunes and realize how they all fit into my world and what they helped me make sense of. Then came the name Boonie Town which is something my friends and I said growing up when referring to the island as a small beautiful rock way out in the middle of the pacific, feels like a proper Boonie Town, that’s part of it’s charm and magic. These tunes really helped me find the bittersweet beauty in the feeling of feeling so lost and out of place yet so at home in your hometown, I feel like that’s something we all must feel some version of at some point. Maybe these tunes could find a way to fit into someone else’s world too, that's the dream!
Your music is ridiculously catchy – it's such an exciting fusion of electrifying guitar riffs and brilliant lyrics. Where do you find your lyrical/musical inspiration?
Thank you! It’s very kind of you to say that. When I think of heavy raw guitar music, live instruments and great lyrics I think of the Beatles. They are absolutely a huge influence for me, Paul in particular. I find my inspiration by listening to the music I love over and over again as there’s always something new to discover. There’s so much amazing music in the world from all over the place, it’s a daunting feeling wanting to be able to dig into it all, but it’s so exciting too. When writing a tune I love to try and synthesize whatever I’ve been listening to at the moment into something really weird, it helps me in the creative process to really know where I’m drawing from. With Cruella Deville for instance, I was getting deep deep into Revolver again (for the 10000000th time) and was wanting to utilize a Sly Stone drum machine sound on a tune, think I was also really into that Stevie Wonder record Music Of My Mind at the time, the song ended up turning into a fun experiment of trying to fuse all that into some weird musical dream.
What music has stuck with you all your life and who are your biggest influences?
My family had the most eclectic combo of records on rotation in my house growing up, very lucky for that, I therefore kinda inherited my parents music taste and then used that to jump off and find my own gems. I love Daniel Lanois and Neil Finn’s songwriting, I’m in awe of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stevie Wonder’s melodies, always always blown away by Joao Gilberto and Rosa Pasos’ phrasing, would give anything to play like Brittany Howard, Ry Cooder or Wes Montgomery and am always inspired by Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield and Gladys Knight’s power. These badasses are just the tip of the tip of the tip of the iceberg!!
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life what would it be?
Oof, hectic. Either Revolver or Fulfillingness' First Finale. Or Abbey Road or Innervisions aha! I don’t know!!! That's a brutal question!! Or maybe Modest Mouse’s Good News For People Who Love Bad News, I love that record so much.
The same goes for this one: vinyl or digital? Why?
I love the idea of vinyl and the whole analog mentality but I also just really love the reality of being able to go on a drive and simply plug in an aux cord. If I could have the magic analog warmth all the time wherever I am I would absolutely choose that hybrid. For now though, I’m pretty content with spotify and some decent headphones, guess that means digital (but actually analog) ouch!
The music video for ‘Cruella Deville’ is a Wes Anderson-esque wonder. How did you come up with the idea for the visuals? Did you have these in mind when you were writing the song?
That's quite the compliment, thank you!! All credit to the Wes Anderson nod goes to my mate Cliff Mello who directed, shot and edited the whole thing together. He’s such a creative dude. He had a very strong vision after hearing the tune and I was thrilled for him to follow it. I came into the visual process with only knowing it had to be a very driving narrative with non stop forward momentum. I wanted the visuals and sonic side to explode into something resembling a Sly Stone remix of Revolver DJ set for a Napoleon Dynamite/Scott Pilgrim prom dance… is that even allowed? I didn’t quite know what the visual needed to be when writing the song, only knew it had to have a bizarre comedic element to it, and it couldn't take itself too seriously.
Talk to us about ‘Aloha Soul’ – how would you describe it in a sentence/why did you want to coin a new genre for your music?
Aloha Soul is my take on all the music that inspires me, It’s the soundtrack to my surroundings. Calling it Aloha Soul helps me understand where I’m drawing from when creating, it’s also my way of paying homage to the music and culture surrounding the music that shaped who I am on a personal level and who I am musically. Music is a very deep and beautiful part of Hawaiian culture, I have been lucky enough to grow up around it and it’s absolutely influenced my own relationship with music and its role in my life. So Aloha Soul just bundles all that influence up into an eclectic sonic identity that I can understand and feels authentic to the tunes I write.
Cast your mind back – what’s one of your gig memories that sticks in your mind and is keeping you ready to go for the return of live music?
My mate Edoardo put on this one gig in his hometown of Follina in Northern Italy in this old abandoned wool factory and organised for my band and I to come over from Liverpool to play. We were having such a blast and then halfway through the set Liverpool won the champions league (or premier league, I lose track of which is which…) and the place went off because everyone were Liverpool fans and we had just come from there. We played Helter Skelter and I most definitely had blisters on me fingers the next day. It was a beautiful night. Moments like that are the shining light at the end of the gig-less tunnel.
Summer is almost upon us – is there a festival in mind you’ve always wanted to play? (can be past/present or both…)
I’ve never actually been to a proper proper festival so I don’t know too many but I’d love to play Glastonbury, heard it goes off. When I was young I remember watching plenty videos of all my favorite English bands playing Glastonbury. That’d be a dream!
What’s the Hawaiian music scene like?
It’s a funny one because music is so massive in Hawaiian culture and there are so many amazing musicians on all the islands yet there isn’t really a live ecosystem set up for what any live scene needs to thrive, just mainly on the logistics side of things. There are of course loads of very talented and passionate people who still work super hard and pull amazing live experiences off, it’s just that it’s hard to cultivate anything consistent when the infrastructure isn’t really in place, one just has to be really creative. That being said it does not stop the music community from coming together and creating amazing things it’s just that musicians have to really work hard to make stuff happen. There are so many talented people here though and it’s my dream for Kauai to have a vibrant music scene, I know it’s an absolutely achievable goal, something I plan on continuing to be a part of my whole life.
The past year has been something of a reset for the music industry. Did you take up any unexpected hobbies? Are there any lessons you’ve learnt about the creative process?
I started learning Hawaiian lap steel guitar, which has been a blast for me. My dad is a really good player so he’s been showing me the basics and some groovy tricks, I’ve fooled around on it for a while but I’ve been trying to dig in a little more lately. Having that texture opens up a whole world for recording, such a tasty addition to the sonic quiver. Regarding the creative process, I’ve just been trying to write and create without relying on inspiration to get me going or propel me forward. I realize I could waste a lot of time only writing when I feel inspired to, so I’ve just been trying to make more of a habit of it and I’ve found out that the less pressure I put on having to be inspired to create the easier it all flows and the drive comes naturally. Kinda cool!
What are the top 3 songs that have kept you sane during this time?
Ooo. Family Affair - Sly, Dear Prudence - the Beatles and Out on the Weekend - Neil Young.
You’re something of a wunderkind – writing, playing and producing all your own music. How do you know when a song is ready to be released?
Very kind of you to say that. It’s really fun that way. I have a test, I gotta get a bounce of the tune on my phone and lay out in my yard with headphones on and a cup of tea, then either I feel it or I don't!
What does the future hold for Eli Smart?
The future holds more music than ever, gigs gigs and so many gigs when it’s safe for everyone and a move over to London when it makes sense to. I’m so very excited.
You’re on the Last Bus home after the first night out post lockdown. What song are you listening to?
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever - The Peddlers. 100% !!