Our new Album of the Week is "Soft Will", the new album of Chicago-based indie band Smith Westerns', out now via Mom+Pop.
Comprised of brothers Cullen (the lead singer/guitarist) and Cameron Omori, second guitarist Max Kakacek and drummer Julien Ehlrich, they released their self-titled debut album in 2010, recorded while they were still in high school. 2011 saw the band release their well received sophomore album Dye It Blonde.
The band recorded their third effort 'Soft Will' over the course of several sessions, taking the time between each one to come back fresh and with a new perspective to listen to their work. By not rushing, the tight and focused album seems to be made with the kind of smarts of a band it will be hard to underestimate again. They worked with producer Chris Coady, the sessions took place at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, Texas. Subsequent recording saw the band de-camp to Chicago, before the final mix down took place in New York in December.
About the band's evolution, since their last record, frontman Cullen Omori says: "Every record that we've put out since the debut is always changing. The albums are always a by-product of us getting better as musicians and getting tighter as a band, of us listening to new music, and discovering new music, and incorporating that into how we write songs. For Soft Will, it was just about making an album in the studio with an ample amount of time, getting the songs really honed, which was something we weren't able to do on the first records."
The 10-track album clearly presents a band that's growing up in real life and musically. It is definitively another strong step for the band.
01. 3am Spiritual
02. Idol
03. Glossed
04. XXIII
05. Fool Proof
06. White Oath
07. Only Natural
08. Best Friend
09. Cheer Up
10. Varsity
