News
New Tour Dates Next Month
Apr 26, 2018
By Christopher Roberts
Former Smith Westerns frontman and singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Cullen Omori released his debut solo album, New Misery, back in 2016 via Sub Pop. Now he was returned with a brand new single, “Four Years,” also on Sub Pop and shared via a lyric video for the song. More
New Misery Due Out Next Friday via Sub Pop, Playing Under the Radar's SXSW Day Party Next Thursday
Mar 11, 2016
By Christopher Roberts
Former Smith Westerns frontman and singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Cullen Omori is releasing his debut solo album, New Misery, next Friday (March 18) via Sub Pop. Now you can stream the whole album below, via Stereogum, who premiered it. More
Omori is Playing Under the Radar's SXSW Day Party Next Thursday
Mar 10, 2016
By Christopher Roberts
What’s in a Name? is our recurring guest blog series where an artist writes about how they came up their band name. For this edition we hear from Cullen Omori. Of course, Omori is now recording under his own name, but he used to be the frontman of Smith Westerns and here he writes about the process of deciding to now release music simply as Cullen Omori. More
Omori is Playing Under the Radar's SXSW Day Party Next Thursday
Mar 09, 2016
By Cullen Omori
Forgotten Songs is our recurring series where a musician or one of our writers examines a song they love that they feel has been overlooked. It could be a song by an artist who never made it big, or it could be a B-side/rarity or unheralded album track by a more well known artist. More
First Album Due out Spring 2016
Oct 21, 2015
By Christopher Roberts
Smith Westerns somewhat quietly broke up last December after releasing three albums. Now frontman and singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Cullen Omori has announced that he’s signed to Sub Pop. The plan is for him to release his solo debut album next spring. More
The Party Rages On…Not Like They Care
Jun 27, 2013
By Laura Studarus
In the new video for “Idol,” a cut from Smith Westerns’ recently released album Soft Will, the party ranges. More
New Album Soft Will Out June 25
Jun 12, 2013
By Mike Hilleary
Later this month Smith Westerns will release Soft Will, the follow-up to their 2011 LP Dye It Blonde. More
Second Single Off Upcoming Soft Will
May 20, 2013
By Mike Hilleary
Soft Will, the third full-length album by Chicago-based trio Smith Westerns, arrives next month on June 25. More
Soft Will Due Out June 25
May 08, 2013
By Laura Studarus
Their new album Soft Will may have been moved to a June 25 release date, but that’s not going to stop Smith Westerns from giving us a little treat now. More
Mar 05, 2013
By Mike Hilleary
Chicago trio Smith Westerns have announced that they will follow-up their 2011 album Dye It Blonde with their newest LP Soft Will. More
Last Tour Dates for Dye it Blonde
Nov 16, 2011
By Mi Tran
The boys of Smith Westerns will embark on a mini tour early next year in support of their acclaimed second album, Dye it Blonde. We have the dates. More
Sep 22, 2011
By Laura Studarus
Peaking Lights recently took their hand to Smith Westerns Dye it Blonde track, “End of Night.” We have the remix. More
Plus Wild Beasts, Cold War Kids, and Mavis Staples
Sep 20, 2011
By Wendy Lynch Redfern
Check out more photos from Day One of ACL Music Festival 2011 in Austin, TX including Big Boi, Bright Eyes, Fool’s Gold, Cold War Kids, James Blake, Kanye West, Kurt Vile, Mavis Staples, Santigold, Smith Westerns, and Wild Beasts. More
Plus Bright Eyes, Fools Gold, Santigold and more!
Sep 19, 2011
By Wendy Lynch Redfern
Check out photos from Day One of ACL Music Festival 2011 in Austin, TX including Big Boi, Bright Eyes, Fools Gold, Foster the People, Futurebirds, James Blake, Kanye West, Kurt Vile, Mavis Staples, Santigold, Smith Westerns and Wild Beasts. We sent photographer Robert Redfield down to capture the action. More
Kills at Least One, Injures Others
Aug 18, 2011
By Laura Studarus
A few hours ago a stage collapsed at the Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium, killing at least one and injuring several others.
More
Watch New Video for “Hellcat Spangled Shalalala”
Jul 11, 2011
By Margot Cooper Gruen
Arctic Monkeys have announced more tour dates in support of June release Suck It and See. More
Broken Social Scene, Explosions in the Sky, Death From Above 1979, Girls, No Age and More
Jun 15, 2011
By Margot Cooper Gruen
FYF has announced its 2011 lineup. The festival will take place in downtown Los Angeles on Labor Day weekend, Saturday September 3. More
Part of A.V. Club’s Undercover Series
May 17, 2011
By Laura Studarus
As part of The A.V. Club’s “Undercover” series—where musicians try their hand at covering a band that has influenced them—Smith Westerns debuted their version of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ “American Girl.” We have the video. More
Band Explores Making Their Second Album
Apr 07, 2011
By Laura Studarus
Today Smith Westerns released “Die With Your Chin Up”—a brief documentary about the recording of their second album, Dye it Blonde. We have the video. More
Plus Foster the People, The Luyas, and Lia Ices
Mar 22, 2011
By Mark Redfern
A review of day one of of
SXSW music 2011, including a recap of sets by Esben and the Witch, Foster the People, Smith Westerns, Lia Ices, The Luyas, Gayngs, and Cults.
More
Issue Includes Interviews with R.E.M., Bright Eyes, The Decemberists, Cut Copy, Jens Lekman, Okkervil River, Panda Bear, Lykke Li, Iron and Wine, Elbow, Duran Duran, Destroyer, and more
Feb 11, 2011
By Mark Redfern and Laura Studarus
Under the Radar’s Winter 2011 issue is about to hit stands. The cover features Death Cab for Cutie, who gave writer Matt Fink insight into the band’s forthcoming album, Codes and Keys (due out in May). The issue also includes interviews with Bright Eyes, British Sea Power, The Dears, The Decemberists, Destroyer, The Dodos, Duran Duran,Elbow, Iron and Wine, Lykke Li, R.E.M., Telekinesis, Toro Y Moi, The Antlers, The Big Pink, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Jens Lekman, Okkervil River, Panda Bear, Vivian Girls, Anna Calvi, Porcelain Raft, Smith Westerns, Yuck, and more.
More
Jan 11, 2011
By Lauren Barbato
Today, the Chicago-based outfit treated fans to another album sneak-preview. More
Jan 07, 2011
By Laura Studarus
All may die young in the new Smith Westerns single, but it’s a pleasant, poppy death. We have the new track. More
Band Also Releases Dates for Winter 2011 Tour
Dec 14, 2010
By Lauren Barbato
In support of their sophomore album Dye It Blonde (due January 18th), glam-rockers Smith Westerns premiered today the official video for “Weekend.” We have the video. More
Oct 27, 2010
By Laura Studarus
Smith and Westerns are busy readying their sophomore album Dye it Blonde (out January via Fat Possum). More
Interviews
Growing Up and Branching Out
Aug 01, 2013
By Charlie Duerr
“We don’t want to be a party band,” Smith Westerns guitarist and co-songwriter Max Kakacek says from his cell phone while visiting friends in Austin, Texas, just a few days after the Chicago-based wunderkinds’ performance at Coachella. More
Reviews
Jun 21, 2013
By Susannah Young
Back in April, Smith Westerns spoke to Pitchfork about what it felt like to return to Chicago after almost two years on the road. In just 24 months, friends moved away or moved on, graduated from college and pursued more traditional careers, while the members of Smith Westerns chose music instead. More
Mar 22, 2011
By Mark Redfern
More
Mar 17, 2011
By Laura Studarus
Day one of my first go-around at the bacchic excesses that is SXSW, I had a very important realization: there are a lot of people here. Bars, restaurants, clubs—basically anywhere with a door—opens to let artists perform. The streets are, to put it mildly, peopled. Intellectually, I knew this. Physically I’ve not only survived, but also enjoyed, in a variety of packed festival situations. But to borrow a parlance from my hometown of Los Angeles: dude. Here’s the kicker, even with the sea of humanity, it is still quite possible to see quality bands up close and personal. SXSW, you have my heart. More