Crooked Teeth - Poison

Stream Poison here (SoundCloud)

Ryan Smith - one of the vocalists of amazing ska-pop (skop? Pa?) band Scarlett's Roses - is exploring his own solo material while his group work on their next big release (I hope). Billing himself under the pseudonym of Crooked Teeth (though I've seen his smile close up, he has lovely nashers), his new track Poison is personal, intimate and devastating all at once. He shares his tale of heartbreak, broken trust and shattered feelings in a way that sets the music aside from the buoyant tunes he sings in Scarlett's Roses. Whenever anyone bares their soul through music there is an inherent truth and honesty that shines through in ways that move the listener (whether they have been through the experience or not). Poison is certainly one of those songs. Set to a subtle but effective r'n'b inspired groove that mixes startling electronica synths with a percussive beat, Mr Smith sings with a nuanced understanding of how to portray the hurtful times he went through. Those synths are like spearing injections of the poison he sings of, piercing the simmering beat like a sting from a bee. It's a haunted tale of believing in the person you love, investing in the future you believe you can have together before it all falls apart from the traitorous actions. Granted this (sadly) isn't new source material for artists but Ryan is so compelling that it's ultimately a declaration of independence that makes you want to hug him and then cheer him for getting his life back on track. At times there's tangible anguish in his vocal delivery, other times he is fueled by the desire to not let this affect him any further. He doesn't just sing the song, he performs it as he lets the music and lyrics infuse his body in what seems to be a most cathartic way. There's no doubting he's a gifted songwriter and an engaging singer - this has been proved through his work with the Roses. Poison takes a bad situation and turns it into something that demonstrates he's perfectly perfect on his own too. Well done young sir.