UK golden boy Sam Smith dropped into BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge recently to perform his single, "I'm Not the Only One," as well as an intriguing version of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car." Smith has showed that he likes to strip back pop classics and rework them in his signature style, as he did with Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know," and he sticks with this premise for Chapman's 1988 hit.
On "Fast Car," Smith and his band play with the tempo and feel of the track, switching the original's guitar-driven folk sound to a smoother quiet storm, jazz foundation that Smith's delicate vocals float over. While the overall feel of Smith's jazz reworking is easy on the ear, it takes all the raw soul out of Chapman's tale and seems to gloss over the painful truths in the song's lyrics. However, all is not lost as Smith's distinctive tone and emotive vocal performance, along with the band's restrained accompaniment help save this number from traveling too far down the wrong musical road and safely take it home.
