Music Review: Patti Smith ~ "Outside Society"

Poet, singer, songwriter, author, artist, sister, mother, wife, rocker…

If there is one artist that deserves the title "Priestess Of Punk" it would be Patti Smith.

Patti Smith has been making music on her own terms for over 35 years. Along the way, she has worked with amazing producers such as Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, John Lennon), Jimmy Iovine (Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks, Bruce Springsteen), Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, Counting Crows) & Todd Rundgren (New York Dolls, The Tubes, Meat Loaf). She's also recorded remarkable renditions of songs by Springsteen, Van Morrison, The Byrds and Nirvana.

These songs weren't merely cover tunes to pad out already great albums. These were songs interpreted in a way that only Patti Smith could by bringing her passion and uncompromising performance style to songs that were already classics. Just listen to Smith's version of Springsteen's "Because The Night" and you will hear passion and power. She is capable of by taking the written word and making it something totally original and better than "the original." In other words, this ain't Natalie Cole covering "Pink Cadillac."

For the uninitiated who are only familiar with a few of Smith's songs it's time for the full embrace. "Outside Society" is the first single disc retrospective of Smith's career and it is the perfect way to get acquainted with an artist who might never have been on your musical radar.

It's time to invite Patti Smith to come from outside society and into your record collection.

Drumroll please… 9 out of 10 drumsticks!!