the smith westerns went big time in 2010.....the hype seemed to stick to the young fuzz pop rockers, with fat possum re-releasing their s/t debut lp this year...just barely after it went out of print on hozac. everyone from pitchfork on down loved them....and with their catchy glam lo-fi garage pop, who couldn't resist singing along.
and now 2011 brings us their second long player.
i'm posting it without properly listening to it.....but the smith westerns' dye it blonde avoids most of the perils of the sophomore slump. they wear their influences more subtly then on the s/t lp, where their love for t rex is almost too endearing.
dye it blonde is more produced and less immediate then its predecessor, but perhaps just as catchy.... maybe a little more bowie and britpop then garage and lo-fi. but rather than trading influences like some bands do as they evolve, the smith westerns just add to the mix....with good results.....
dance away and weekend are killer indie pop tracks i'm sure you'll hear plenty of times in 2011...
these kids are not one shot and out rockers.....soon everyone will love the smith westerns, not just chicago.......
and i agree with filter's summation of dye it blonde...."While the new album holds on to the qualities that endeared fans to the band and avoids replicating the debut, the slower tracks can run together at times. But if the Smith Westerns' sound calls to you, then spending time getting to know Dye It Blonde won't be a problem."
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