Laura Amiela Smith - Laura's Bop

Hear The Track Here

There aren't that many people online who use their real names, and I think that's a shame. 90% of the online musician community uses nicknames of some kind, but there again maybe because they are all called Norbert or Clive. Well, you would want to hide that wouldn't you? The reason this subject even came up because I saw Laura Amelie Smith's answer to SC's question 'Why this name?' 'Because it was on my birth certificate' she says. Had me chortling into my beard for days that one did. For the record, Laura is an Australian based multi-instrumentalist which you may say is not that surprising, there seem to be a lot of those kinds of musicians about. Ah burt, I gleefully pounce on your naiviety, not multi-instrumentalists of the tender age of 12.

S'no good rubbing your eyes, you did read that right.

Now given that she has to be fairly new to all this, and her tender age, my immediate presumption was that I was in for something light and frothy, girly and probably all about ponies. What I never expected was a one minute kicking by some very hard music by an individual (regardless of age or gender) who certainly isn't new to making music. Judging by her comments on her Soundclick webpage I assume that everything I hear is from the girl herself so what we got here? Mmmm, lead guitar, slamming bass and some rocking drum sounds - even if they seem a little staid, by in a track of one minute and change it hardly matters.

There is a surprising maturity to Laura's Bop that belies her age because - despite its brevity - Laura's Bop is a rocker that kicks butt. The drums and bass are solid, even if the lead lines are often a little shaky. I would have loved to hear this a bit more stretched out and I'm a little sad that this is the only track that Laura presently has online, but it does give a pretty good taste of what she does - rock like a good 'un. Given her age, of course, it is bound to be somewhat flawed - in this case in the lead lines, but what did you are I know at 12?? I was hoovering the stuff up as fast as I heard it, I didn't start playing seriously until I was about 16 or 17. I'd say that Laura has a head start on her competition and I'd be very up for hearing some more material from her. Very well done.

Got a minute? Try this.