SMUT BLOWS OUT THEIR CANDLES
ON ‘TOMORROW COMES CRASHING’
Words by: Josie Stahler
Photo by: Jon Salazar
Birthdays have always been about reflecting on who you are and where you’re headed. It can signal a change in oneself. As you blow out birthday candles surrounded by friends, what are you wishing for? Smut’s Tomorrow Comes Crashing feels like a wish to be reborn. The band seem to be on a path of reinvention, celebrating the beautiful process of growth after a decade of existence.
Vocalist Tay Roebuck and guitarists Andie Min and Sam Ruschman hit the Cincinnati DIY scene with a bang but soon realized they were looking for a space to grow. The group found their way to Chicago and never looked back. This, along with the loss of Roebuck’s younger sister led to the creation of their 2022 record How the Light Felt, an exploration of grief and transition. With Tomorrow Comes Crashing Smut welcomes drummer Aidan O’Connor and bassist John Steiner, creating a new invigorating shift to the dynamic.
Like its title, Tomorrow Comes Crashing is a raucous reentry since How the Light Felt. It should be, seeing as the band cites inspiration from albums like My Chemical Romance’s Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. It’s intense while leaving room for soft moments of reflection. The return to tracks that first inspired the band to fall in love with music is prevalent. Songs like “Ghosts (Cataclysm, Cover Me)” feel like a track a teenager might blast in their room on the radio after an emotionally-packed day. Roebuck’s heavenly vocals paired with subtle chimes and a wavy guitar riff gives an air of deliverance. Other tracks such as “Burn Like Violet” pick up the pace, with punchy rhythm and in-your-face lyricism. “I talk to God/I sit in silence/I comfort myself, touch myself/I burn like violet.”
From start to finish, Smut’s latest arranges itself in a way that flows in this chronicle of tone and energy. “Godhead” is a massively loud entrance, and the album follows through on maintaining that passion. One of the album’s center singles “Syd Sweeney” (yes, named after the actress) is a shattering cry regarding female success and the objectification of women in art. The album finds a solemn yet powerful grand finale in “Sunset Hymnal”, leaving listeners feeling as if they’re the central character in a film and they’re walking off into the distance after a long and satisfying journey.
If Tomorrow Comes Crashing had a birthday party upon its June 27th release, I’d imagine it was a nighttime house party in the heat of summer. Half-melted candles and silver stars would litter the countertops, and guests would slip out onto the back balcony for a late night cigarette.
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