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The Jayhawks
Smile
(Columbia/Sony)
First Appeared at The Music Box,
July 2000, Volume 7, #7
Written by John Metzger
Fans waiting for The Jayhawks to crank out another alt-country album like Hollywood Town Hall
or Tomorrow the Green Grass are going to have to wait just a little
bit longer — perhaps even forever. Since the departure of Mark Olson in 1996, co-founder Gary
Louris has taken control of the band’s direction, leading it towards a more pop-oriented sound.
The Jayhawks’ last outing Sound of Lies was chock-full of gritty rock ’n‘ roll songs with
catchy hooks and angry words that cloaked the topic of Olson’s departure behind tales of dying love.
The band's latest release Smile is a much more polished affair due to both the production work of
Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd’s The Wall) as well as the ensemble's more cheerful and upbeat lyrics and
melodies. It’s as if Sound of Lies and the band’s subsequent tour
gave Louris a chance to exorcize his demons and move on with his life.
At first listen, Smile can be a bit of a challenge. Like Sound of Lies, it’s
different from what has come before it. Yet, one can’t blame The Jayhawks for moving forward.
Staying in one place for too long certainly can be a drag. Fortunately, patience and perseverance do
indeed pay off for both the band and the listener.
With Smile, Louris and company have created their most pop-oriented album to date. This,
of course, is not the sort of stuff written for the pre-teen poseurs of pop music flooding the
markets today. Instead, Louris has targeted his influences — those who rode the pop-music radio
waves of the ’70s. Where Sound of Lies hinted at the music of Fleetwood Mac and
Paul McCartney’s Wings, Smile embraces them. Further, the band
delves back into country rock, but this time it does so not from the grungier perspective of Neil Young but
from the fluffier fare of the Flying Burrito Brothers. Fueling these
comparisons is now departed vocalist/keyboardist Karen Grotberg, whose backing vocals — while
reminiscent of Linda McCartney — are delivered with a strength and beauty that is pure Stevie
Nicks.
There’s no question that Smile will further alienate some of The Jayhawks’ purists. However,
those fans willing to give it a chance will surely find an equally compelling album with the same
stellar songwriting skills that the group has always employed. From the uplifting and transcendent title
track to the emotionally charged Baby Baby Baby; from the gentle groove of Mr. Wilson
to the stunningly beautiful Broken Harpoon; and from the bouncy glide of I’m Gonna Make
You Love Me to the soaring and symphonic Queen of the Road, The Jayhawks has created yet
another outing of which it can be proud — and that’s surely something about which to smile.  ½
Smile is also available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
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For UK orders, please
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2000
The Music Box
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