We The Kings - Smile Kid (2009)
I appreciated, even worshipped We the Kings so much for cooking up a plethora of songs with bubbling verses that boiled over to unapologetic pop-punk choruses. Soaring melodies, bouncy rhythmic combos and cutesy "I wish these words were written about me" lyrics were what originally got the masses (myself included) falling and fangirling for the power pop quartet from Bradenton, Florida. In their presence, audiences were bouncing up and down to the beat whether they were aware of it or not. The band's 2009 release, Smile Kid, follows the same winning formula (as I expected and hoped) but for one reason or another failed to achieve the same body-snatching quality that I was possessed by from the 2007 release.If you want the bottom line and the bottom line is "Did I like the album?" I'll say yes. Am I nitpicking? Yes, but we're always harsh on the things we love the most
It confuses me that I don't know what I want from these guys because everything that is essential WTK is entirely present and identifiable, I just can't immediately pinpoint what I don't like other than my reaction is "I don't like it." Are the hooks still catchy? Yes! Are the beats still bouncy? Yes! Are the lyrics still cutesy? Yes!
SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT?
Concerning Choruses: It seems to me like the chorus sections of this album are less effective in comparison to the ones off their self-titled album and suddenly their winning formula sounds terribly cliche to me. The lyrics don't evoke the same emotional response from me that I want to feel when I usually listen to this stuff.Concerning Production: I also have a bone to pick with the addition of new things such as synth and other production bells and whistles (literally) that adorn the songs. Certain elements that should be perceived as playful (i.e. the salsa-inspired whistles and ay-oh-ay-oh backing vocals of Summer Love) just makes me think 'incredibly cheesy and overproduced.' I prefer to eat my pop-punk raw, thank you very much. Not saying I hate production! I just feel like it should be done sparingly for the best effects. Like, where are the strings that made me fall in love with Secret Valentine? I wouldn't mind seeing those again!
Concerning Backing Vocals: Yes, backing vocals on songs like Whoa made me smile uncontrollably off the first album but now that they appear in a majority of the songs the effect is lost on me.
Concerning Bridges: In the words of Robert Plant, "Where's the bridge?" They used to be these earth-shattering moments in We the Kings songs (most notably in my head, Skyway Avenue), but there isn't a bridge on the entire album that sticks out to me.
Concerning We'll Be A Dream: Raise your hand if you were scared about this cameo by Disney kid Demi Lovato! I promised myself that I would look at it objectively despite any biases/jealousy I harbor towards Demi Lovato. The girl does have a talented voice, it's not an accident that she has a career, Disney just makes a joke out of her. ANYWAYS this isn't about her. While I admire the addition of female vocals (who doesn't love a good duet?), I just don't like the song. It drags, it isn't terribly powerful to me, and the intro riff sounds pretty much exactly like All Again For You. I also don't think that Demi and Travis have compatible voices. I would have rather heard Cassadee Pope a la Hey Monday, she just has a higher pitched pop edge that I think would be perfect to belt out the track (see Candles by Hey Monday). Kudos for the music box opening though, I like music boxes.
In Summary: While I love that the Bradenton boys looked to branch out of their pigeon-holed pop-punk sound with some new additions and experimentation, most of the experiments missed the mark with me. Not saying that I don't want them to grow their sound, just saying I wasn't a fan of the way they decided to grow with this album. It hasn't knocked them out of my favorite bands list, but it leaves me with high hopes for their third release.
I imagine the next question would be: "Well jeepers Rosalie, what DID you like about this album? If you have all these complaints why aren't you thumbs-downing the crap out of it?"
I PROMISE I'M NOT ENTIRELY NEGATIVE!
Concerning We The Kings: Danny's drum pounding and Drew's bass work still make me want to get off my ass and shake it around in the face of the scene kid next to me. (The proverbial scene kid, that is. I don't actually have a scene kid next to me at the moment...but if I did, I assure you their face would need to watch out for my rump shaking and uncontrollable body spasms while jumping.) Travis Clark's voice still has the ability to get my heart a-twitter and Hunter's guitar melodies still appeal to my ear. They've stayed true to their strengths there, the foundation hasn't changed one bit and are completely structurally sound! It's just a couple of the building blocks that are a bit shaky to me.Concerning Anna Maria (All We Need): This is my absolute favorite track on the album and I can't stop playing it. I've had a constant pep in my step and a perpetual head bob going thanks to this song being such an earworm for me. This is the way it should be! I feel like this track is what I was hoping for from a second album. Incredibly uplifting and is that a theremin? I like theremins. Or maybe it's just a wah-wah pedal. Well, WHATEVER is making that sound, it works for me. Someone check the liner notes and get back to me. The lyrical ties speak to me directly and the word emphasis falls in place nicely. I get that bashful feeling in my chest when they break out of the verse and pre-chorus into "My heart beats faster when I'm with you 'cause I know that you, you want me to. I swear to Hell I'll never leave 'cause I know one thing, love is all we need." I know you can't take me seriously about what I said before about being cheesy now since that's like one of THE cheesiest lines on the entire album but its delivery is what made it good for me. OH AND THERE'S A BRIDGE! Or a breakdown thingy. It isn't much to stick out in my mind as a good bridge section (see above) but it still breaks down the way a We the Kings song should! Then it slows down the way a We the Kings song should. Throughout, the backing vocals aren't too much, harmonic background vocals during the chorus sing my heartsong and the da-da-da's at the end of the song are used in a way that makes me sing along, not question why they're present.
Concerning Acoustic Versions: I didn't like Heaven Can Wait until I heard the acoustic version and actually listened to Travis singing the lyrics and the stripped down guitar lead break, which made me unashamedly go "AWWWWWWWWW." Acoustic versions of We the Kings songs have always had a special place in my heart. Secret Valentine, Skyway Avenue, Check Yes Juliet, Whoa, etc. etc. etc. All their songs just seemed to translate and add something so nicely acoustically. That's definitely not lost here.
Oh and I can't hate an album if they reference In-N-Out, with a song. It's what a hamburger's all about! So very West Coast. REPRESENT!
