Staff Pick of the Week

Every week we here at Repo like to pick one record that we can all agree on as being the one thing we can't stop listening to. This week's pick is.....

Smith Westerns - Dye it Blonde
(Fat Possum)

Last year the self titled debut from Chicago's Smith westerns manged to slip by many despite positive reviews (even getting an honorable mention from Pitchfork in their best of the year list). Not to let the same mistake happen again SW return and are ready to take over our stereos. The first album had a feeling that they where running trough it, in a good way, kinda like kids running through a field instead of stopping to enjoy the scenery. Compared to their first album "Dye it Blonde" is more pastoral, it's willing to really explore and expand on an idea. So they've come back with their flashy guitars and catchy rhythms and you know what? It's great. The production value is an improvement on this album. The spacey/Psych guitars in "All Die Young" make a huge impressions on the song, having a three minute song feel like it continues to infinity. Jumpy, poppy leads take over most of the album though, making you wish you had more than ten toes to tap.



It should also be said that this was a tough week to pick from. Honorable mentions : Electric Wizard, Cage the Elephant.