Andy Smythe knows the subtle magic of a love song, and Beautiful Day is proof of that. Gently, easy and unforced, the track begins with acoustic guitar drifting in, like the first proper morning after a long spell of grey.
Andy has been playing in the grassroots scene for well over 20 years throughout the UK and this is evident in the way this song flows out of his fingers. It is a natural and instinctive process. It's like a musician who is entitled to write something this open hearted.
It's his voice that does the rest. It has real range but here it is not about showing it off. Instead, it remains tender and true to the melody, surrounding the song with loving kindness, with a quiet confidence.
The arrangement is not in the way itself, which is not easy to do. Throughout, the acoustic guitar dominates with electric guitar accents and warm keyboard fills adding just enough room to give the song a lift without overpowering it. The harmony vocals during the chorus are a nice bit of group harmony – as if more than one voice really means more than one voice.
There's good guitar time in the middle of the song that gives it room to rise before getting back into the choruses that close the song. It's a small detail, but it helps to give it some form, and makes it more interesting and varied.
The thing that makes it land is that it is unguarded. Andy is trusting the song rather than trying to play it safe. He is telling a love story the way it's supposed to be told, with the same craft that only comes with experience and a passion for the song.
This one really made me feel lighter at the end of it - which isn't something that happens often. Beautiful Day is warm, honest and beautifully played. Andy Smythe has created something that will be listened to over and over.
