How do you place a band like Smith Westerns? On the one hand, they can be seen as an enthusiastic tribute to 60s/70s glam rock, yet on the other they are a modern, musically interesting group, with their use of synth and guitar licks – often in the same song.
The Chicago trio were able to become full-time musicians after the success of their second album, “Dye It Blonde”, where they took a more psychedelic direction after their fuzzy, self-titled debut LP. On their third record, the emphasis, as the title “Soft Will” suggests, is much more on subdued keyboard notes, and efforts at creating mood through arpeggios, where ‘less’, is intended, at least, to be ‘more’.
The band have clearly not lost their passion for all things glam, with “3AM Spiritual”, “XXIII” and “White Oath” all sounding like they could have come from an early 70s David Bowie. This comparison does not do Smith Westerns any favours however, with the tunes dull and overly dreamy, lacking in the distorted kick up the backside they so desperately need.
The band does turn on the guitar amps intermittently though, with the jangly “Fool Proof” a rare moment of life on “Soft Will”, with the guitar lead mimicking the vocal melody.
“Only Natural” quickly dissolves this momentum though. Slow, shuffling guitar parts leave you yearning for a massive hook, yet this crescendo ceases to arrive leaving another song on the record to fade away.
The best tune is saved for the end. “Varsity”, in total contrast to the majority of “Soft Will”, is energetic, and is sunburnt rather than sun-kissed, so strong are the summer vibes coming from the tune.
“Soft Will” is overly indulgent in trying to create an atmosphere with delicate scores, where you always hope in vain that a big chorus is on its way.
Smith Westerns‘ adoration for glam rock undoubtedly still remains, but does their raw creativity, now that they are professional musicians? In time, maybe the band will realise they have just gone too over the top with “Soft Will”, and that more lo-fi, jaunty music is where their strengths lie.
While Smith Westerns deserve a degree of credit for evolving their sound, it appears as though they have tried to run before they can walk with this newer, synth-heavy style.
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