Fairchild’s Sweet Tooth
Jim Fairchild, former guitarist of the 1992 indie-rock band Grandaddy, has recently unveiled his new project, All Smiles. The album, Ten Readings of a Warning, consists of band members, Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, Black Heart Procession) and Janet Weiss (Sleater Kinney.)Ten Readings of a Warning comes from the 60s/70s American singer/songwriter tradition recalling Lou Reed’s 1972 album Transformer. Fairchild’s delicate, soft and emotional vocal style is reminiscent of Wilco’s lead vocalist Jeff Tweedy, pulling Fairchild’s record into modernity. This album is a collection of lethargic mantras of bittersweet experiences, like the music at an empty bar.
Ten Readings of a Warning begins with 38 seconds of erratic guitar strumming as band mates chant “ba-ba’s” in the background. The introduction to “The Velvetest Balloon” combines high-energy percussion, dogs barking and submissive piano to add dimension. Unfortunately, the album loses in its attempt to find full throttle energy and begins to fade out after Track 6.
This album tries to achieve euphoria but its college-radio vibe doesn’t allow for Fairchild’s full potential to stand out. If the band made their happy sound correlate to their sad mood Ten Readings would be easier to understand. It is the perfect album for anyone feeling melancholy on a sunny summer day, but not recommended if the juices need to flow.
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