Landon Smith’s Don’t Mind Me Is a Debut Album Worth Shouting About
Review by Lauren Page | @LiveWithLP
Landon Smith has one of those voices I could pick out from a mile away. A little rough around the edges, full of feeling, and capable of making me stop whatever I’m doing to listen properly.
I caught up with him at State Fayre this summer, just as he released The Ragdoll, and I’ve been counting down to his debut album, Don’t Mind Me, ever since. I’d already played If You Want Me Tonight to death, then came The Seamstress, Lavender and Supertramp. Landon was giving us plenty to listen to before the record arrived. Apparently, I still wasn’t prepared.
The album opens with Prologue: The Parthenon, where Landon chats to a crowd and lets a bit of sass slip through. Having interviewed him, I can confirm the man has a funny side, so it’s a lovely way to welcome us into his world.
Then Lavender arrives and reminds you exactly why you pressed play. There’s a roar to his voice that makes the track feel huge, but it’s the writing that keeps me coming back. I loved it as a single; hearing it open the album proper makes it hit all over again.
Runaway pulls things back. It’s more acoustic, more folky, and then Landon drops the line I retired my inner child at 17, I hope that he’s alright. Sorry, can we pause there for a second? We’re only a few tracks in and he’s already made me stare into the middle distance.
That’s what Landon does so well. His songs feel like stories you’ve walked into halfway through, with a line that makes you want to go back and find out how the character got there. The Seamstress has that same pull, with his rasp coming through beautifully. I’d love to hear it live.
The title track surprised me most. Don’t Mind Me is stripped back and quietly gorgeous, giving the vocal and the writing room to breathe. It’s one of my standouts on the record, and the sort of song that makes me remember this is his debut album. Excuse me?
Halfway through, Voice Memo 12-11-2025, 3:11am gives us another little glimpse of Landon away from the polished tracks. I like that he’s left those moments in. They make the album feel like it belongs to a person, with thoughts and jokes and a life happening around the songs.
And then there’s Supertramp. Picture yourself in a field with your pals, pint in hand, all of you stomping and singing along. That’s the energy. There’s a touch of The Lumineers about its festival-ready feel, while Landon’s voice gives it all the grit it needs. Please put this man on a UK festival stage again.
The Ragdoll is already an anthem in my books. When it came out in June, I did ask Landon whether the line "I’m a ragdoll baby, just throw me up against the wall" was meant to be a little spicy. He denied it. I remain unconvinced.
The final stretch shows how much ground he can cover without losing what makes him recognisable. Broken Under The Rug slows everything down, So Long went straight into my playlist thanks in part to If I go missing, you can find me dreaming, and Old World puts that voice front and centre again.
By the time the moodier Daylight Falls closes the album, it feels like we’ve met several sides of Landon Smith.
That’s a lot to fit into a debut, but Don’t Mind Me never feels like it’s trying to prove too much. The big singalongs, the quieter moments and the lyrics that catch me off guard all belong together.
I’ve listened through looking for the track I’d skip. There isn’t one. So, Landon, lovely album. When are you coming back to the UK?
Read LiveWithLP's chat with Landon Smith at State Fayre here
Don't Mind Me by Landon Smith is out now