JEFFREY RYAN SMOOTS

Artist's Website
Contact Artist
Washington, USA

Available CDs

Warranties and Disclaimers

"Inner Resonance guitarist Jeffrey Ryan Smoots explores his love of melodic, progressive rock on this solo release.  Wings of Gold features 12 hard-driving progressive rock songs, all with an emphasis on melody and listenability. Shredders will especially enjoy the opening tune, 'Intro', a two minute instrumental roller-coaster ride. Wings of Gold also pays homage to bands like Styx, showcasing Jeffrey's penchant for soaring melodies and thick harmony vocals.  Fans of Rush, Dream Theater, and Styx will not be disappointed with Wings of Gold. Give it a listen!" - CD Baby

"…Great songwriting, great guitar work, and fantastic vocals…" - Progression Magazine.

"…Jeffrey's tunes leave your imagination running wild. Which is exactly what instrumental music is supposed to do right?" - Flash Forward.

"…Jeffrey Ryan Smoots knows the difference between virtuosity and feeling in his progressive rock…The music is full of feeling, with refrains very well built; see pearls like 'Homeland' and 'Never Never Land'…Wings of Gold is an extraordinary album…" -Krepsukulum Underzine Online – Brazil.

"…Intricate guitar work and finely-crafted progressive rock…" – Gajoob.

"…Jeffrey can play some good music…superb lead vocals. (Points: 7.5 out of 10)." - Strutter'zine.

"…There is no question that there is significant talent on this CD…" - Heady Metal.

"…[Wings of Gold is] a very good album that won't leave you disappointed…" - Through Different Eyes

"…This is a good record. Smoots conveys an infectious energy that elevates…Influenced by such luminaries as Alex Lifeson, Eric Johnson and Yngwie Malmsteen, his guitar playing is spectacular, and his commanding tenor would bring down the house on Broadway." - Jim Santo's Demo Universe.

"…The guitar playing is quite a thrill without been over-the-top…The musicianship of Jeffrey Smoots, cannot be in question; he as the ability to play a wide number of instruments. " - Martin Jones Acid Attack Music.

"What is a Smoots? A young guy named Jeffery, who is fairly accomplished on guitar and has a lot of the state-of-the-art MIDI studio equipment. He really knows how to work it! The result? An instrumental CD that would work well as a soundtrack for
a nail-biting skiing documentary.

I caught myself doing 80 MPH on the interstate while listening to this CD because most of the tracks are fast paced and catchy! It's fluid in the electronic/techno style, but not overdone like so much I've heard in the same vein. He slows it down a bit on tracks 6 & 11 in a mellowdramatic soother. Then he toys with a pseudo Ronnie Montrose funk style in tracks 7 & 8. I generally don't like programmed drum tracks, but in this case, I'll make an exception. This kid knows what he's doing, as it shows in his unique guitar licks.

Like a fine wine, he will get better with age and experience. The incorporated keyboards are the gravy for this entree. This guy is better than most I've heard in this genre of progressive music." - Dana Holmes, Prog4You.com

"On “Despair to Peace” Jeffrey Ryan Smoots has set to music the grieving process he underwent as the result of the death of his grandfather, Donald A. Smoots, which also reminded him of other relatives and friends who had passed on and affected his life.

 The track list mirrors the emotions many people feel after the loss of a loved one, as described on Psychology textbooks. The artist utilizes mainly piano and strings (Cello and Violin) in the Chamber Music fashion to convey to the listener the mood of each step in the process. It is comforting to know that, in the end, Mr. Smoots finds the acceptance and inner peace many people cannot when dealing with our ultimate mortality.

 This compilation might not be appropriate to listen to for the sake of enjoyment, but might be a soothing selection for those times when we must endure our own times of grief. This album returns us to the classical roots of progressive music with excellent musicianship. (JRS also designed the graphic artwork). If I were to pick a “favorite” track, it would be Memories Well Up." - Rick Woodward, Prog4You.com

"Multi-instrumentalist JEFFREY RYAN SMOOTS has a new CD out titled 'Loss for Words'. The album is filled with high class instrumental Progressive Melodic Rock with a Prog Metal touch here and there. It all sounds very impressive and the fact that Jeffrey did everything on his own is making this CD even more interesting. Songs like "Unearthly Ambition", "King Lerxst" and "Zeta Principle" are great instrumental Progressive Melodic rockers. Every guitar-freak should check out this awesome CD." - Gabor Kleinbloesem, Strutter'zine

"Loss For Words is the fifth album from American multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Ryan Smoots (or JRS for short!). Following on from the 2001 Despair To Peace, a classical album dealing with the death of a loved one, Loss For Words, is a collection of 12 hard-edged, melodic, progressive rock songs with the emphasis placed firmly on the guitar. Citing such six string luminaries as Alex Lifeson, Ty Tabor and Yngwie Malmsteen as major influences and being a fan of progressive bands such as Dream Theater and King's X, it is not surprising that the album features a lot of heavy, and one might add, accomplished guitar playing.

But, it is not all-out fretwork histrionics, the writing is strong, has a high degree of melody and features some interesting twists and turns that keeps the attention. JRS handles all the instrumentation on the album - bass, keyboards, even live drums (although there are some programmed drums in places). However, it is the guitar that takes prominence. From the hard rock, multi-tracked onslaught on Mr Negativity, to the proto-grunge of Zeta Principle to the harmonised melodies on King Lerxst, this album has the lot for any discerning fan of the electric guitar. What is more, it is highly original material to boot. Sure, the influences are apparent in places, but just as you think that a track is settling down into, for instance, a southern rock groove, it veers off at an unexpected tangent.

Although there are variations in tempo, personally I would have preferred a few more laid back numbers to counteract some of the more 'in your face' tracks. Ambergris (which, trivia fans, is actually the discarded linings of sperm whale intestines used in the manufacture of perfume) is the closest that you'll get to a ballad. With a keyboard/guitar intro that is reminiscent of Michael Schenker-era UFO it has a hook line that will sit in your brain for days. But mostly the solo guitar (which has a definite touch of the Al Di Meola's about it) is left to soar over chunky riffs that some metal bands wouldn't be ashamed of.

Overall, the album was quite a refreshing change. It was good to hear a purely instrumental album that focused on short pieces. Although my periods of listening to heavy music are getting further apart and 'progressive metal' leaves me all but cold, JRS has come up with something that little bit different that I am sure to want to revisit at regular intervals in the years to come." - Mark Hughes, DPRP.com