Description

2014 remastered 2 X vinyl LP pressing reissue of their 2000 release with 6 bonus tracks. With Smile, The Jayhawks drop yet another sizable chunk of their alt-country sound by the roadside, adding in it s place healthy doses of power pop and modern electronic music. Almost half of Smile s songs feature looped percussion, overdubbed drum tracks, or flat-out, funky backbeats. Despite the modern touches, though, the fact remains that Smile retains just enough of a distinctly Americana feeling. On Better Days, one of Louris best songs, he sings with genuine regret and heartache the way he treated a long ago lover, and on Break in the Clouds he celebrates the comforts of domestic contentment, complete with pedal steel and soaring harmonies that recall the band s landmark work Hollywood Town Hall from 1992. What never changes on The Jayhawks albums, it seems, are the blissful melodies and well-constructed tunes.

Track List: