This Chicago band’s sophomore full-length is bursting with cocky glam-rock riffs and dazed but enthusiastic vocals, all run through a fashionably fuzzy filter. The influences are easy to spot — T. Rex, Cockney Rebel, and ELO all come to mind at various points — but Smith Westerns show off their borrowed finery with such aplomb that it’s hard to dislike the end product. At the very least, Dye It Blonde is a promising step forward for a group that’s still growing into its talents. B
Download these:
Exuberant single Weekend
Toe-tapping tune Imagine Pt. 3
