Download This Is Me Smiling's New Album For Free

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 22, 2010 4:40PM

This Is Me Smiling’s new album has been a long time coming. The pop project, comprised of members from local outfits Gold Motel and The Hush Sound, haven’t released new material since their debut self-titled LP back in 2005. That release was followed by some record label issues and a resulting hiatus, which allowed the members time to focus on their other projects. But last week the guys released their sophomore effort, Only Uphill, and to make up for the delay they’re giving it away for free.

The 11-track album is a collection of effervescent piano-pop melodies. Take, for example, the brisk piano and shimmery guitars of opening track “Hiding” or the buoyant piano and spirited vocals of “Nothing to No One.” The album has a general cheerful mood that’ll either off-set the winter gloom or annoy you to no end with sunny lyrics and shamelessly catchy hooks. But the band does try to balance these cheerful tracks with a few laid-back tunes. “All I Wanted Was a Cigarette” slows things down with dreamy, off-kilter rhythms, and “You’re Alright” is even more tranquil, delivering gloomy instrumental and vocals with an optimistic message.

While Only Uphill took two years to compose and is clearly thought out and well-produced, the band is offering a free download of the album over at its official site. If you like it, you can show some support by spreading the word and maybe throwing the band a few dollars. Or show your appreciation by attending their next live show - This Is Me Smiling will open at The Hush Sound’s super special reunion show Dec. 26 at the Metro. In the meantime, you can catch three of the four TIMS members in their other project Gold Motel, which is getting ready to release a new 7-inch single, Talking Fiction, and will be performing at Subterranean this Saturday night.

Gold Motel plays Saturday, November 27 at Subterranean, 2011 W North Ave, 7 p.m., $10, All Ages

This is Me Smiling plays with The Hush Sound Sunday, December 26 at Metro, 3730 N Clark, 6:30 p.m., $18, All Ages