At Smith’s we love songs, and the songwriters that sing them. We host plenty of bands and we love them too, but every so often we’d like to strip the accompaniment away and hear the songs as they were written – one voice, one instrument, unadorned and vulnerable like a babe in the woods. For this fourth edition of Six of the Best, we have once again asked four very different song-writers to share six of their best songs with us. In order of appearance, we have...

Larissa Swan
Larissa is a cheerful young singer-songwriter who seems to regularly end up writing sad songs, probably something close to indie folk and occasionally a little bit country. Her raw, honest, emotional storytelling explores themes of life, death, heartache and loss, lending a voice to the experiences common to all but unique in each one's own way. 

Beth Monzo
Beth has been prominent in the local band scene for decades, playing a leading role on guitar, vocals and songwriting duties in such excellent bands as Dub Dub Goose, Beth ‘n’ Ben and Betty Alto, as well as playing many a solo gig around the traps. 

Nick Delatovic
Nick sings and writes songs for The Empty Lake Singers and Babyfreeze, and plays the bar chords in Lulu and The Tantrums. He’s aiming to also play solo more often, as an excuse to wear clothes that don’t match any of the bands. Seriously though, Nick is consumed by an obsession with songs and songcraft, and his stuff is like Jenny Lewis meets Jonathan Richman meets The Hold Steady meets Smog. If you don’t know those acts Nick would be happy to make you a playlist.

Alison Procter
Known primarily as the taller of the two Cashews, Alison eschewed her chance at rock ‘n’ roll stardom for life in Canberra’s small ponds, the mountains, the bogong moths and the always green lights down the Tuggeranong Parkway.