Keenly classical but with a kind of melodic sensibility and influence of the modern strewn across, Andy Smythe delivers a delightful soft rock tune on “Prodigal Son” that’s easy-going and masterfully composed from back to front. It’s got a distinctively retro vibe and energy to it, but with this larger than life orchestral arrangement that gives it a certain sense of weight and scale that makes it feel slightly larger than life. Smythe’s vocal harmonisation, layered and textual becomes a salient driving point that makes that chorus all the more captivating.
This feels like a song out of a time capsule, but not in a way that’s dated or boring. Rather, this feels like bringing something classical and retro to life in the modern era with style, substance, and swagger. Smythe is his own force, and “Prodigal Son” is a powerful release to mark his suaveness.