Smith Westerns – “Dye it Blonde”
Fat Possom Records
-out now
3.5 / 5
Chicago, IL’s Smith Westerns give a bit of glam to their cluster-f*** pop. We mean that gently: these instruments don’t sing or soar, but meld together like that Nutella stuff you used to be addicted to. Minus the sick feeling afterwards; that told, “Dye it Blonde” works on the simple principle that it’s simply enjoyable to listen to. It’s something of a mystery to us how it works, but listen to “All Die Young,” and you get the Westerns at their apex on this album. The depth of their layering may, at times, leave you digesting a large lump of sound, but the fact of the matter is that there are good bridges, good choruses, and just generally good writing here. While we generally prefer music to be a bit cleaner and less like an overgrown wheat field (yes, somehow that analogy makes sense), stick it through, and you may find yourself enjoying a fun, playful, mucky little album. Recommended.
Listen to “All Die Young.”