Recorded in New York City, the album was produced primarily by Richard Gottehrer.[6][7] Smith's goal was to make a record that would receive radio play.[6] He cowrote some of its songs with Boo Hewerdine; Smith considered most of the songs to be autobiographical.[8][9]Rosanne Cash duetted with Smith on "Precious Time".[7] Smith wrote "Place in the Sun" after reading Woody Guthrie's Bound for Glory.[10] "Levee Song" was cowritten by Chip Taylor.[11]
The Toronto Star praised Smith's "superbly crafted lyrics."[16] The Chicago Tribune wrote that "Smith mixes folk, country and panhandle blues in his musical portraits of real people in the real world."[17] The Vancouver Sun opined that "Little Victories puts Smith in a bit more of a cosmopolitan realm than his pop-country past, and it's pretty darn listenable."[18]
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted the "great playing and solid songwriting."[14] The Daily Breeze deemed Smith "one of postmodern country's many unsung songwriters," labeling Little Victories "insightful thought-folk."[19] The Rocky Mountain News admired the "easygoing vocal style, consistent songwriting and a world-wise lyrical point of view."[20]
AllMusic wrote that the album "stands among Smith's most mature and ambitious work."[12]
Track listing
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Place in the Sun"
2.
"Loving Arms"
3.
"Little Victories"
4.
"Love Left Town"
5.
"Hole in the River"
6.
"Dream Intro"
7.
"Dream's a Dream"
8.
"Precious Time"
9.
"Days on End"
10.
"Levee Song"
11.
"Only One Dream"
References
^Logan, Neill (11 May 1996). "Darden Smith keeps it personal". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2B.
^Gewertz, Daniel (May 1, 1993). "Singer's band tour opens in style". Features. Boston Herald. p. 27.
^McLeese, Don (6 May 1993). "Smith's Big Crime: Hard Work". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 5.
^"Darden Smith: Little Victories". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 40. Oct 2, 1993. p. 75.
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