But a few listens deep, Brave proves Smith is not a musician content with following said path precisely to a tee, as he's not afraid to showcase a diverse breadth of sound to get his messages across.

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To describe Smith as a musician as plainly as possible, one would need to consider if Keith Urban hadn't started as a solo artist and instead rose to prominence as the frontman of a 90s alternative rock band.

But indeed, that would only be scraping the surface.

On Brave, it's easy to pick up on Smith's self-confessed admiration for U2 [see the delay-heavy chorus riff on 'Closer to the Sun', which would make The Edge proud], and John Mayer, another of his idols, is particularly evident in not only his singing and guitar playing, but his drive to experiment.

Brave is not afraid to incorporate subtle uses of the piano: 'No Such Thing as Tomorrow' and the title track being prime examples: and there's even a flourish of horns on 'Holding on to You'.

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But the true strength of Brave is Smith's thoughtful and considered songwriting, where he shows no fear in tackling rather heavy topics.

There's a deeper reason his daughter graces the album cover of Brave, as the title track serves as a tender conversation between father and daughter about the need to be 'brave and strong' in a world where discrimination sadly remains a perverse issue.

'Brave' is far and away the highlight on this album. It highlights Smith's solidarity with the fight against the global disease of discrimination, and how it deeply affects not only women, but people with racial, religious and sexual identities differing from the largely outdated concept of 'normal'.

But there's certainly other highlights: 'Upside Down' and 'He Is Home' evoke strong comparisons to the solo work of Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell, and the relaxing 'Whiskey Rider' sounds somewhat like a spiritual successor to Cold Chisel's 'Flame Trees'.

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As an active member in both the Orange and Dubbo music circles, Smith has carved out a fine little niche for himself alongside his other career as a senior paramedic.

And if Brave is anything to go by, it's clear Smith is as immensely skilled at stabilising the mind through music as he is at stabilising the body through emergency response.

A special mention should also go to Philip Burgess and James Rutten, who share songwriting credits with Smith in several songs on the album.

Brave is available to purchase and stream on all platforms. For more information, visit darrensmithmusic.com/home or his Facebook page.

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