You may have heard of Chicago-based Smith Westerns from any of the big music blogs or because they are touring all around U.S. in support of their sophomore LP, Dye It Blonde (Fat Possum). Their musical influences stem from the likes of the Beatles, T.Rex and the best parts of '90s Brit-pop.
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The band formed four years ago by guitarist Max Kakacek and singer Cullen Omori. They brought on Omori's brother Cameron to play bass, and the trio started jamming. Within a year, the band played shows in their hometown. In 2008, the band found drummer Hal James to add to the mix. They started veering toward '70s glam rock, and now they're getting the press they deserve.