The ‘Smith Westerns’ are an indie rock band hailing from Chicago, Illinois and note inspiration from the likes of, T. Rex, David Bowie and Marc Bolan. Their self-titled debut album was recorded (for the most part) in lead guitarist, Max Kakacek’s basement and released in mid 2009. Their most recent album, ‘Dye It Blonde’ was released in January of this year. I plan to review both, the most recent a little more comprehensively than their debut.
This Chicago group scour through 1970's glam rock, Phil Spector teen-pop, and garage-punk with the youthful excitement of kids on Christmas morning. The ‘Smith Westerns' self-titled debut exudes an honesty almost as pure as its recording levels which are eardrum blowing. Their simple, sweet choruses about boys and girls in love are earnest and well composed. With well delivered lyrics by lead man, Cullen Omori, his bassist brother, Cameron, second guitarist Max Kakacek, and drummer, Hal James more than match with their tunage and do more than make themselves heard over the bands vintage sound.
From the initial track, ‘Dreams’ my first thought is “incredibly lo-fi”. With blurred out xylophone and crashing drums on the frenetic opener, this sounds rough cut, but promising. A happy little back beat and sweet melody follows on, ‘Boys are Fine’ and the, ‘Smith Westerns’ turn to a more light hearted theme. ‘Gimme Some Time’ is reeking of 60’s glam rock and ‘Girl in Love’ that follows immediately has me thinking of the, T. Rex classic, ‘Get it On’. It’s a raunchily produced glam rock bop which seems to strive to address the naivety and briefness of youth.
‘We Stay Out’ allows lo-fi to take over with a guitar line that sounds like a helicopter rotator underwater. I love the opening guitar riff on, ‘Tonight’…it’s simplistic, but screaming. The sound becomes very, Rolling Stones. In fact of the more modern era, it sounds a little, ‘Black Lips'. ‘Be My Girl’ is another, string laden ballad which softly perforates an innocent hook with some edgy, humorous and bordering perverted pick-up lines. In ‘The Glam Goddess’, Omori sings along in a desirable, Marc Bolan/Bob Dylan like fashion to a bump cha cha beat and mellotron strings.
‘Diamond Boys’ has a 70’s piano similar to that which, Bowie would use in his retro experimental phase and it’s here that the bands scratched glam harmonies sound fresh and vivacious. ‘My Heart’ is crammed with tense rhythms which work well and is completely different to the heavy, dirty guitar sound that we’ve become used to on this debut album. This is perhaps a sign of what’s to come on the follow up.
This album stirs up hot, grungy garage rock out of the. Marc Bolan, Rolling Stones and even The Beatles playbook. It’s youthful music that reminds me, ‘1977’, the debut album from Irish rockers, ‘Ash’. It’s raw and noisy and was recorded while the band members were still in high school. I like the lo-fi sound and enthusiasm of this vibrant guitar band. Rating 7/10
For the follow-up, ‘Dye It Blonde’, the band found themselves in a New York City studio, with a real producer, Chris Coady who had produced the ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ and ‘Beach House’ among others. The leap is audibly significant, yet follow up, ‘Dye It Blonde's’ marked success is not solely the result of its production values and ambition. This bands ability to cut melodies was evident from the start and now they have grown with their resources. In an interview shortly after the album's completion, Omori suggested that the new set of songs was influenced by Oasis, Teenage Fanclub, and Suede…I’m fine with that. ‘Weekend’ kicks the album off with an ice cream van like melody before guitar takes the fore. As in the first album, the theme is often girls, love and teenage dreams. It’s a happy go lucky start with a drunk on love feel. Cullen Omori's voice is far more distinguishable in this more produced effort with brother, Cameron's bass lines supporting to great effect.
‘Still New’ floats in with some gentle guitar interplay before, Kakacek rips in with a guitar line so huge it effectively serves as a chorus. It kind of doesn’t belong in the same song, yet works a treat. In ‘Imagine Pt. 3’ the progress of the band is immediately there for all to hear. Synths and guitar work to great effect. Kakacek’s guitar fuses perfectly with the front man’s lyrics as opposed to battle them as they did on the previous track.
‘All Die Young’ sounds a little ‘Mind Games’ or perhaps even ‘Oh Yoko’ The album's centerpiece is a ballad turned hymn when it its closing moments, Omori sings - "Love is lovely when you are young." Indeed towards the end, I somehow here British glam rockers, Slade and ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’. ‘Fallen in Love’ that follows is an enjoyable tune with the frank lyrics that we have come to expect from this young Chicago quartet.
‘End of the Night’ crunches in with screeching guitars that sounds similar to the opening credits for a motor racing program. In the middle we are offered a brief soberness with a piano section and Omori singing in delicate fashion - “everybody wants to be a star on a Saturday night”. ‘Only One’ that follows starts with a brilliant guitar riff harking back to, The Kinks or, The Animals. This one has a very 60’s/70’s feel to it. In fact it is more, The Animals…I’m hearing a bit of, ‘There Is A House In New Orleans’ (great tune). It then becomes more like the 90’s Manchester sound by the end of the track. Great diversity and range in the space of four minutes.
‘Smile’ is a slight change in step and a little more of an acoustic track. This seems to be something autobiographic in substance, but I guess most of this bands content is. This is pretty deep stuff and becomes psychedelic while again using almost gospel like chorus lines. ‘Dance Away’ is a little disco and definitely feels like a summer song. It puts me in mind of ‘The Thrills’ and their hit, ‘Santa Cruz’ from album, ‘So Much for The City’. ‘Dye the World’ closes the album with a sweet whining sound. It’s a bit ballady and shares Oasis like riffs and bass.
‘Dye It Blonde’ does have shades of classic, T-Rex Oasis, Suede, and, John Lennon, but it is far from backwards looking. The albums elements may not be terribly original, but the way they are brought together is a sheer pleasure.
It's fantastic to hear an album from a band who begs you to enjoy their music. While the melodic foundation was already evident in the bands self titled debut, producer, Chris Coady deserves some plaudits for transforming a previously rough cut diamond in to a far more polished gem. Rating 8/10
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