Tomorrow Comes Crashing. Smut

Chicago's Smut, vocalist/lyricist Tay Roebuck, guitarist Andie Min, bassist John Steiner, guitarist Sam Ruschman, and drummer Aidan O’Connor, already released Tomorrow Comes Crashing in the last week of June. At the time I simply did not have the time to give it the attention it deserved. As a few singles had already come by, it was clear that it was written in the stars that a review was imminent. In other words, time to make amends.

Smut made its debut on this blog in 2020 and became a regular over the past five years. However, now three EPs and three albums into its career, Tomorrow Comes Crashing is the first album on these pages.

And what an album it is. Smut pushes a lot of bells in my mind that were installed around 1995 with the album 'Eight Arms To Hold You' by Veruca Salt. Where alternative/indie rock bands fronted by a woman is concerned, that is my starting point. Smut is a very worthy member in this line of bands.

Although people with far more sensitive ears than mine will strongly disagree, Smut's basis is always the song. From there the song is built up and that can result in extremely noisy affairs, but always impressive. Pop music does not have to be a sweet affair. The element that makes it pop music can be put into loud guitar music as well. Great pop music always holds the elements: memorable melodies; sing-a-long vocal melodies and; creating the urge to play the song again and again. Listen to Tomorrow Comes Crashing and you will recognise these elements in all songs.

Of course, Smut does not operate in isolation. With Wednesday it holds the element of surprise as a song can explode in your ears and at any moment into it; or not. Otherwise there would not be a surprise. With New Zealand bands like The Beths Smut is great in combining the alternative and the pop in a perfect way.

Tomorrow Comes Crashing comes in with a bang. 'Godhead' is a statement combined with a great song. Tay Roebuck sings in a way that falls into a long line of female punk rock singers, where the singing comes close shouting but never really is. 'Syd Sweeney' easily trumps the opening song. The guitars are even louder and play a great and dirty riff. The opening duo have made me pay attention immediately and the rest of the album pays my time back abundantly.

What endears me even more to Tomorrow Comes Crashing is that Smut changes the mood to a more dreamy one, without surrendering the quality it started out with. Just listen to the details put into the arrangement and the different voices of Roebuck, making each song a rich affair. Decades of female pop and rock fall together into a great new mix.

In June I knew I had another good album in my hands, but simply lacked the time to familiarise myself with it enough to write on it. Today I have and can only add here that you may want to familiarise yourself with Tomorrow Comes Crashing. Smut deserves it.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Tomorrow Comes Crashing here:

https://smutonline.bandcamp.com/album/tomorrow-comes-crashing