Matt Smith “…this is not ok…” Finds Hope in the Noise

What do you do when the world around you feels increasingly difficult to understand? Do you shout louder, turn away, or simply hope that tomorrow looks different? Matt Smith chooses another route. He picks up a guitar, looks directly at the unease of the present moment, and turns those feelings into songs that leave room for compassion.

On his 20th studio album, “…this is not ok…”, the Austin songwriter, guitarist and producer creates a record that feels remarkably grounded. Nothing here seems interested in easy answers. Across nine original tracks, Smith wrestles with uncertainty, division, loss and the weight of living through complicated times, yet the album never allows those subjects to become completely overwhelming.

Rooted in Americana, folk, blues, soul and rock, the record carries the character of an experienced musician who understands that restraint can sometimes speak louder than volume. Smith’s vocals have a lived in quality, while the arrangements give each song enough space to breathe. The result feels less like a lecture and more like a conversation with someone who has spent years observing people, places and the world around him.

Tracks such as “World Is a Wheel,” “Cry For America,” “Orphans,” “Level Ground,” “A Life In Love” and “From the Ashes” reveal different sides of that perspective. Some carry a sense of frustration, others lean toward tenderness, but they share a belief that people are still capable of finding their way back to one another. That sense of humanity may be the album’s strongest quality. Smith does not pretend everything is fine. Instead, he acknowledges what hurts while holding onto the possibility that empathy can still matter. There is something quietly powerful about that choice, especially on a record born from such turbulent subject matter.

After more than four decades of making music, Smith sounds neither detached nor defeated. “…this is not ok…” feels like the work of an artist still willing to question, feel and speak honestly. It is thoughtful without becoming heavy, soulful without losing its edge, and ultimately hopeful without pretending the difficult parts do not exist.

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