2011-03-14
Smith Westerns made their first album on the computer at home, in Chicago. By all accounts, the result was decidedly garage-y. For Smith Westerns’ second album, “Dye It Blonde”, they were backed by Fat Possum Records, they used a professional studio, and they had a professional producer in Chris Coady (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and TV on the Radio). All this boils down to a more slickly layered production. The thing I saw repeated over and over in my research on this band was a comparison to TRex. I don’t see it. What I hear on this Chicago band’s release is a 60’s influence with maybe a teensy bit of 70’s ELO thrown in (especially on "Imagine Pt. 3”). “Dye It Blonde” got kind of mundane about half-way through, but it’s good for a song or two with its radio-friendly melodies. Rebecca RuthMountain Heart
Blue Skies
BEN HARPER AND THE RELENTLESS SEVEN
Live From the Montreal International Jazz Festival
THE WHITE STRIPES
Icky Thump
The Modern Savage
Unwilling Participants
MOGWAI
Earth Division EP
JENS LEKMAN
Oh You’re so Silent Jens
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