Who doesn’t like the golden nuggets of ’70s glam rock performed by the likes of David Bowie, T. Rex and Mott the Hoople? Although initially coined as a passing fad of sugary British pop, its heartfelt sentimentalism and rollicking guitars has left an indelible mark on pop music. It’s hard to believe Dye it Blonde, the new album by Smith Westerns, came out in 2011, let alone made by three kids barely old enough to drink in the States. With songs about youthful ambition and romance, Dye it Blonde is a smattering of well-crafted pop songs with chant-along hooks. A few too many synthesizers drown out some of the better songs, but for a bunch of 21-year-olds this is some of the best pop out there.
This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2011.