The effervescent “Idol” is a track off Smith Westerns’ upcoming third LP Soft Will, out June 25th. The follow-up to 2011?s outstanding Dye It Blonde (2011: #10), Soft Will was preceded by first single “Varsity” and another track “3am Spiritual”, and now we get treated to “Idol”. These three tracks show Soft Will as a softer, more dreamy album in some regards, but that doesn’t mean the group’s penchant for soaring and anthemic retro-inspired rock hooks is missing. “3am Spiritual”, with its keyboard haze, is the softest of the bunch, but with “Idol” we get something more akin to the sound on Dye It Blonde. Christmas-time keys and twangy guitar leads complement the sonorous vocals of Cullen Omori wonderfully, helping drive an easy-listening rocker that rides a fine line between nonchalant garage-rock and twinkling new-wave. Soft Will looks to be another success for Smith Westerns, and one of the most pleasant rock albums of the summer — and 2013 in general.
Smith Westerns 2013 tour:
07-19 Madison, WI – King St. Live
07-20 Louisville, KY – Headliners
07-21 Nashville, TN – Exit In
07-23 Washington, DC – Black Cat
07-24 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
07-26 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
07-27 Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
07-28 Montreal, Quebec – Cabaret Mile End
07-29 Toronto, Ontario – Lee’s Palace
07-31 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
08-02 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
08-05 Kansas City, MO – The Riot Room
08-06 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
08-07 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
08-09 San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Festival
08-10 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
08-11 Pomona, CA – The Glass House
08-12 San Diego, CA – Casbah
08-15 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
08-16 Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
08-17 Vancouver, British Columbia – Electric Owl
08-20 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
10-04-06 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival
10-11-13 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival
