Teen dreaminess aside, Dye It Blonde shows that Smith Westerns’ giddy mash-ups of stately Beatles melodies and T. Rex swagger play even better when buffed to a high gloss.
While the melodic foundation was already sturdy throughout, here, what once sounded ragged in stretches is now plush-upholstered from start to finish.
Yeah, the band isn't doing anything that hasn't been done before, but damn if that doesn't seem to matter a lick while listening to the record.
This features Smith Westerns focusing in on the things that really succeeded the first time around, then fixes up that with some more of their songwriting style.
Mini review:
I decided I’m gonna start doing mini reviews because there are some albums I just don’t have as much to say about but I still want want mention. This is just one of those albums that is pleasing to listen to, but feels kinda generic. Everything is fine, just not something I’d really come back to. Weekend is a pretty good track tho.
Weekend - 8
Still New - 6.5
Imagine, Pt. 3 - 7
All Die Young - 6
Fallen in Love - 7.5
End of the Night - 6
Only One - 6
Smile - ... read more
I heard the song Smile in a Brad Taste in Music stream and I liked it a lot so I decided to check out this full album. And after listening to it... Smile is still my fav song here and most of these songs sound very similar and nothing stands out to me here as "amazing." the music is perfectly fine and has pretty guitars and arrangements, just not a full project I think ill ever return to.
Dye It Blonde was engineered to feel nostalgic from the beginning, but what has made this album a great album is its ability to recapture memories. The gentle, but playful synth-infused indie rock allows for a joyful edge that isn't too brash or bland their contemporaries.
I heard the song Smile in a Brad Taste in Music stream and I liked it a lot so I decided to check out this full album. And after listening to it... Smile is still my fav song here and most of these songs sound very similar and nothing stands out to me here as "amazing." the music is perfectly fine and has pretty guitars and arrangements, just not a full project I think ill ever return to.
Mini review:
I decided I’m gonna start doing mini reviews because there are some albums I just don’t have as much to say about but I still want want mention. This is just one of those albums that is pleasing to listen to, but feels kinda generic. Everything is fine, just not something I’d really come back to. Weekend is a pretty good track tho.
Weekend - 8
Still New - 6.5
Imagine, Pt. 3 - 7
All Die Young - 6
Fallen in Love - 7.5
End of the Night - 6
Only One - 6
Smile - ... read more
1 | Weekend 3:22 | 100 |
2 | Still New 4:12 | 90 |
3 | Imagine Pt. 3 3:34 | 85 |
4 | All Die Young 3:47 | 90 |
5 | Fallen in Love 2:30 | 85 |
6 | End of the Night 3:26 | 85 |
7 | Only One 3:24 | 90 |
8 | Smile 4:11 | 85 |
9 | Dance Away 2:46 | 85 |
10 | Dye the World 4:10 | 85 |
#4 | / | The Fly |
#10 | / | Obscure Sound |
#21 | / | One Thirty BPM |
#29 | / | NME |
#37 | / | Stereogum |
#39 | / | Pretty Much Amazing |
#42 | / | No Ripcord |
#42 | / | Under the Radar |
#51 | / | PopMatters |