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If Death Cab for Cutie and Coheed and Cambria had a baby it would be Poughkeepsie, New York based band Sound of a Smirk. Their music contains elements of emo, rock and punk that are all tangled together to form one intricate spiderweb. Their latest album Grow, Apart. is delicately fierce. They're not afraid to rock hard with a softer edge. John Naclerio (Nada Recording Studios) recorded, mixed and mastered these tracks. The sound is modern, yet somewhat nostalgic at the same time. Jesse (guitars/vocals), Mark (bass) and Nick (drums) successfully captured the feeling of heartbreak, depression and angst.
Olly Olly Oxymoron kicks off the album just right. The opening line "I was alone" sets up the listener for what is about to come... and it is kind of sad. The lyrics discuss the topics of loneliness and drowning out your problems with alcohol/other drugs. I picture myself sitting in a dark room and outside it is cloudy and rainy with no sign of things getting better.
State Speed Limit starts off like an acoustic ballad, but really steps it up 54 seconds in. It's fast, but the guitars create a somewhat nostalgic vibe during the verses. 2:44 to 3:06 is my favorite section because of the brief pauses the rhythm guitar and bass make while the drums and other guitar keep playing.
The beginning of Why Not, Astronaut? is ambient and calming. They really captured the feeling of floating through space alone. Even though it is the longest track on the album, it doesn't lose my attention at all. Sometimes build ups into a different section can be disappointing, but not for this track. Everything is placed in the right spot and feels natural. The arpeggiated guitar that starts at 1:53 is panned hard left, while the drawn out single note driven guitar is panned hard right to create greater depth and dimension to the overall mix.
In My Pocket is straight up intense until the end. During the verse the drums make use of quick rim shots then switch over to the snare for the choruses and subsequent verses. The guitars maintain a steady driving rhythm. This might be Jesse's best vocal performance on the record just because it's so intense. The solo at the end fits the intensity of the song, but I just wish the notes were less drawn out and faster.
The opening of Placebo just punches you right in the face. Everyone comes in at once to create a wall of sound. The vibe is seemingly uplifting, but the lyrics are fairly dark. They describe someone who is addicted to another person and/or substance and just can't get enough. The bass and drums do a great job of locking in at 1:31 while the guitars and vocals drop out for a bit. When the guitar (panned hard right) comes back in it starts off playing a single note melody then switches to chords. The ending is abrupt, but well-planned.
Not Even DaVinci has a similar rhythm to In My Pocket. 1:44 is my favorite part in the song because you can really hear the reverb on the snare drum if you listen. It's able to cut through the quiet guitars, bass and vocals.
Chess opens up with some intimate and hopeful clean guitar. The drums sound huge and wide, while the bass supports the atmosphere by playing drawn out whole notes. The guys go into a long jam at the end while the guitars shred in a post-rock, delayed 16th note fashion. The fade out at the end gracefully takes the weight away.
Taste Test instantly reminded me of the Foo Fighters and their song Monkey Wrench. They are both around the same tempo with similar chords. I love both tracks. The vocals and hard right panned guitar 21 seconds in keep the speed up while creating a simplistic atmosphere. I loved the detuned guitar panned hard left during the verses.
The opening guitars in Exist for the Sake of Existing are drenched in a chorus effect that make it seem like they're wobbly and underwater. The chord progression is melancholy and Jesse's screams are strong and meaningful. You have to listen to the lyrics in this one. Trust me, they're deep.
Trap is the shortest track on the record clocking in at 1:51. Short, sweet and heavy. It's mostly an instrumental track with the exception of some soft vocals at the beginning. The bass guitar is crunchy in this one. I love the delayed note that closes out the track.
Caught starts off with some funky bass playing and tom tom heavy drums. The ambient swirling guitar in the background sounds like a discordant choir. There's something almost gothic about this track, like a haunted house.
Bitter Blue closes out the album right. "I never thought I'd be sleeping in your bloodstream. Now this bed is made of iron." The lyrics are creative and hit hard. The ending solo rips and you can just feel the sadness pouring over you.
The dudes in Sound of a Smirk have mastered the art of creating space and depth. Their music takes its time and does not feel rushed (even the faster songs ha). The songwriting is at a professional level and also the production. Everything shimmers with this light glow and feels clean, but there is an edginess and punk rock attitude that keeps it real. The deluxe version comes with three bonus acoustic tracks. Check out and buy Grow, Apart. now!
-JM
Score: 8.5/10
Link to album: https://soundofasmirk.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://soundofasmirk.com/home/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theSoundofaSmirk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundofasmirk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoundofaSmirk
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaakhqG149PFcpgd80U5YQ
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