Fifteen Minutes of Fame Music Entertainment

Originally Published on January 13th, 2026

~ Preface ~

I know I am an unconventional journalist. Who knows what to expect with anything in media, these days. To me, journalism is about integrity. It’s about passion. It is unbiased. Sure, it can be critical, but that criticism is intended to be constructive; to build its subject. To acknowledge opportunity.

I do not relate to click-bait strategies. I do not relate to feeding social media addiction. I will not conform to extremism; journalistic tactics used for shock value in order to manipulate readers into being sucked into an article for the wrong reasons.

I want to cultivate a new way of critical thinking: the old way of critical thinking. There aren’t going to be “either/or” (Amazing/Terrible) extreme opinions. Once I considered a rating system, but I think that is even manipulation to the reader. I’m not going to tell anyone what to like and what not to like. I don’t play favorites and I will write about people and opinions I oppose if I think that their music shows artistic value; I will and I have.

The experience has been liberating. It has given me the ability report on music by independent musicians openly, fairly, and objectively. I admit I have enjoyed it all, but that is because I have found it all to be enjoyable. I don’t answer to any expectations other than the ones that have been laid out at the start of creating this platform.

~ About the Artist ~

This method of journalism has invited all forms of artists to the FMOF platform. Submissions have poured in from all over the world and the diversity of these artists is staggering. I love it.

With all of these submissions, all of these talented musicians, and all of their amazing stories, I can say this: I will never forget the day I was introduced to the Reverend.

Back when I started FMOF, one of the first EPK’s I ever received was from Steve Smith, aka Reverend Rooster. It had a detailed bio of the artist, of the album(s), and of the songs on the first of two releases he was putting out last September. Songs From the Oxen Road Side One was more than just an album. It was such an inspired work of storytelling; the kind where one finds themselves leaned towards the narrator as they soak up every word. It’s not suspenseful, it’s not flashy. It’s profound. It’s unique. It’s the type of thing you hear and you realize it is special.

Smith, a career radio DJ from Maine, went into the studio to do something he’d always wanted to do: to write an album. However, he was so inspired, he wrote two albums. The second, Songs From the Oxen Road Side Two was released later, that same September, and it proved just as good.

25. Album Review of Songs from the Oxen Road Side One by Reverend Rooster

These recording sessions awakened something in Smith. So he kept recording. In May of 2025, he released his third album in 9 months, The Great Design.

148. Fifteen Minutes of Fame Recap: Album Review of The Great Design by Reverend Rooster

No sooner had The Great Design released, than Smith started releasing singles for his next album. September saw the release of the single, Deliver Me. Later in September, another single was released: Eternity. In October, Waste of Time, the third single was released. Then in November, the final single We Shall Overcome, was released.

Smith hasn’t done it alone. He’s had the company of some very accomplished musicians with him along the way. Bob Colwell, Edward Scott Elliot, Steve Jones, and his son, Sam Smith, have all been on this radical journey with him.

“I released KISS my Princess in February of 2024 and, with Chasing the Melody, will have released 52 songs in the last 2 years…” ~ Steve Smith

As Smith wrote to me to announce his latest album, he didn’t do it from a place that sounded exhausted. No, it sounded fulfilled. I can’t think of anything singularly better a person can feel. There is of course shared affirmations, like love, that are in a category all their own. But when we are looking into ourselves, fulfillment is really hard to beat.

~ About the Album ~

Chasing the Melody is the 4th studio album from independent recording artist, Reverend Rooster. Releasing on January 10th, it is 11 songs, has an approximate run time of 40 minutes, and features Smith on vocals and guitar, Bob Colwell on Piano, Edward Scott Elliot on bass, Sam Smith on guitar, Steve Jones on guitar, and Mrs. Rooster, Alisa Smith makes a appearance on some of the backing vocals, as well as the cowbell (I’m sure SkyDog is somewhere in the mix as well, overseeing production).

“For me, the melody always comes first. Stevie Wonder said ‘if a song came to him, he had to write it or Marvin Gaye would get it!’ The music’s out there. You’ve just got to chase it down.” Smith (speaking of the first song on the album, Melody)

The album opens with Melody; a song that runs at all of 71 seconds and serves as a beautiful intro. It features Smith on acoustic and Colwell on piano.

The second song on the album, Hemingway, brings the full band into the picture. It starts as a biographical tale of Earnest Hemingway, then becomes a tale of feeling influenced by musicians and artists from Smith’s youth. He then broadens the scale and talks about the general influence of artistic creation. It ends on the brilliant line quoting Hemingway; “He said ‘to get started, write one sentence that is true.”

“This song came fast one day. Seems like a simple message to do the right thing. Sometimes I don’t really understand what a song is about until later...” ~ Rev.

Smith had this to say about Dusty & Lightening, and I really appreciate that. As a songwriter, I think I can relate. Even with our own music, sometimes it’s hard to identify what is there until it is actually there. I often learn more about songs I write during and after the recording process.

One of my favorite songs on the album is the mellow and subtly bright Hearts and Kindness. The bottom line is, Reverend Rooster is a kindred spirit who I truly believe has a profound connection to this world. It’s easy to draw that conclusion after analyzing his music for a year and a half, as well as speaking with him and reading his thoughts about his wife, his son, his dogs, his friends, and his home. He’s immersed in existing. I’m sure he is a sort of empath in that regard. When the world is bleeding, I can see that truly having an effect on him. I think Hearts and Kindness is a plea to mankind to not lose sight of the bigger picture.

Hundreds of Stars is a mid-tempo, loose groove. To me, this song is in a similar vein to Hearts and Kindness. I think this song is about appreciation. I really love the backing vocals on this record and the presence they leave.

~ Final Thoughts ~

I started writing this review a week before the album came out, which was Saturday. Now, having listened to it a few times, I am overwhelmed by all of the thought Chasing the Melody has inspired. This album, like the Rooster’s other albums has meaning hidden beneath the surface. Layers of meaning. Initially, I read the title and I thought this album was going to be about music; making it, listening to it, and appreciating it. Once again, the teacher has given us one more great lesson.

This album is about the essence of Taoism. Simply put, “to do our duty.” It is about defining what destiny or fate means to us and then pursuing that destiny, pursuing that fate. Even if one doesn’t believe in the idea of “destiny,” we are still here looking for our purpose.

I think Steve Smith, aka Reverend Rooster, is very in tuned with finding and chasing destiny. He discovered the elusive truth that we don’t have to be here to do one thing. We are here to love. We are here to create. We are here to learn, to teach. We are here o adapt and evolve. To grow, to progress. Smith has identified that these objectives are mysteries to solve in all things we do. We should love our people. We should also love what we do. We should learn from our people. We should also learn from what we do.

To bring home this point, the last thing Smith said to me when telling me about this album was this:

(After mentioning plans for a couple of upcoming releases, Smith alluded to what he will do “next”) “Then I’ll put my creative energy towards saving the world or something!” ~ Rev.

If there is anybody capable, it is definitely Reverend Rooster.

Go press Play.