Bobby Smith - You Made Me Believe
Pop, Rock
Florida, U.S.
Overall Impression: Bobby Smith’s "You Made Me Believe" is a track that effectively captures the delicate, bittersweet tug-of-war between love and loss. The song’s concept—a young man who falls in love online, only to realize that the connection will never be more than digital—is both timeless and painfully modern, striking a chord with anyone who’s experienced the longing and disappointment that comes with the complexities of online relationships. Bobby Smith’s evocative vocals anchor the track’s emotive punch, while the carefully crafted arrangement—the interplay of powerful guitar, buoyant bass, atmospheric synths, and vibrant percussion—works in perfect harmony to bring the lyrics to life. This is a song that doesn’t just tell a story; it makes you feel that story, pulling you into the emotional turbulence of a love that, though once promising, was doomed from the start.
Strongest Point(s): The track’s arrangement is particularly strong, showcasing an effective concoction of diverse instrumentation that complements Smith’s vocal performance without ever overpowering it. Between the driving guitars, buoyant and dynamic bass lines, ambiance-inducing synth elements, and momentum creating percussion, a great balance is obtained, helping give the arrangement its vibrant and thoroughly engaging sense of flow. Bobby Smith’s vocal performance is very much the heart and soul of the track and his phrasing strikes a great balance between being equal parts subtle and expressive, helping to mirror the emotional turbulence explored in the lyrics. The deftly layered backing vocals are an excellent addition and provide a sense of extra depth and dimension to the lead vocal parts. These layers really help open up the track in a way that feels undeniably anthemic. The added flourishes of melodic color provided by the lead guitar is also brilliantly handled and helps provide a nice amount of contrast to the vocal melodies, and its also notable how well both dynamics and textural layering is used to create a level of dynamism within the arrangement that feels wholly organic, ensuring the performers and music are reacting to one another in a way that strengthens the seamless flow of the arrangement perfectly.
Target Audience Appeal: "You Made Me Believe" is a thoroughly engaging pop rocker and I can see it strongly appealing to fans of the genre.
Artist target suggestions: REO Speedwagon, Asia, Mr Mister, Steve Winwood, Phil Collins, Foreigner, Eddie Money, Don Henley, John Mellencamp, 38 Special, Bruce Springsteen, Christopher Cross
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About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session guitarist, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar as well as teaching it, helping students learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and become proficient in home recording.