B-Side Guys

Guitar strings sing where vocals might otherwise live. David Laborier’s “The Smoothness of You” operates on this fundamental substitution, transforming his six-string into both lead vocalist and conversational partner across its jazz-funk landscape. The Luxembourg-based composer demonstrates how instrumental music can communicate with the same intimacy as whispered confessions.

Laborier’s arrangement philosophy becomes immediately apparent: every horn section punctuation, every rhythmic pocket, serves his guitar’s narrative arc. He’s borrowed Hoagy Carmichael’s “The Nearness of You” as conceptual inspiration while constructing something entirely his own through traditional pop architecture—intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus—that feels organic rather than imposed. The result sounds like classic soul standards filtered through contemporary production sensibilities.

The guitar work itself deserves particular attention. Laborier doesn’t simply play melodies; he sculpts phrases that bend and breathe like human speech patterns. His tone selection favors warmth over bite, choosing sustain that allows notes to melt into each other rather than attack with percussive precision. During the pre-chorus sections, his playing becomes almost conversational, as if responding to unheard questions from the rhythm section.

What impresses most is the arrangement’s spatial intelligence. Horn sections enter not as orchestral flourishes but as supporting characters in an ongoing dialogue. The neo-soul foundation provides stability while jazz-inspired harmonic choices add sophisticated color without overwhelming the groove. Each instrumental voice maintains its own personality while serving the collective swing.

The track’s universal appeal—Laborier mentions everything from bowling balls to morning stubble as metaphorical smoothness—translates into musical accessibility without sacrificing complexity. His composition creates space for listeners to project their own interpretations onto the melodic framework, much like great jazz standards invite personal connection through familiar yet sophisticated structures.

“The Smoothness of You” succeeds as both technical showcase and emotional experience, proving instrumental music’s capacity for intimate communication.