Ozark-pride lyrics such as
Don't call me trash 'til you've slept in my trailer are just one of the reasons that
Big Smith has earned a reputation as the best thing to do in southwest Missouri when Party Cove goes flaccid. The Springfield-bred hillbilly quintet — composed of five cousins, none of whom have been spotted kissin' — is back on the road after a hiatus during which songwriter Mark Bilyeu pursued a more rocked-up Americana muse. Such persuasions have updated Smith's overalls-wearing, mouth-bowing, bass-fiddling show, but only insomuch that the raw mojo of the band's raucous folk is now augmented by electric guitars, piano and drums. With a decade-long catalog of fan favorites such as "12 Inch 3 Speed Oscillating Fan" and covers ranging from the Beatles to the Clash, Big Smith has rightfully earned the kind of rabid fandom associated with border rivals Split Lip Rayfield.
