This was originally written for DayBowBow.
I hate to say it but I like it when two musicians fall in love with each other… then break-up. Musicians are sensitive and passionate people (whether they admit it or not) so when their hearts have been broken, it’s not uncommon to see a breakup song or two to follow. And when the two musicians happen to be in the same band? In the case of Ryan Hamilton and Jencey Hirunrusme, the indie folk-pop duo known as Smile Smile, they wrote their hearts out and created their break-up album together. We’ll sift through the pieces in their newest album, Truth on Tape, in this track-by-track review.
1. “Tempo Bledsoe” – The first time I heard this song was when I watched the music video which is as cute and sugary sweet as the lyrics. However, the “Swanee River” introduction seems to give you a heads up that this song is more a wishful memory than a current state of affairs. Either way you look at it, you’ll be humming this later.
2. “Beg You To Stay” – These simple lines, “Yeah, I sing a lot about love / it’s only ’cause I love you so much”, removes all doubt over the theme of the album. Just two minutes ago, I was joyfully singing “whoo hoo hoo!” and a track later, I am now joyfully begging. Love and loss. It can happen that quickly, folks.
3. “Cancer” – This upbeat, snare-driven, toe-tapping call to live and love is a fun jangle. However, by this track, if you feel like this album is a little too sugary pop of a break-up album for you, try the next two or skip to track six and see if that’s dark enough for your shattered heart.
4. “Somebody Else” – Nobody likes being duped, realizing what you paid for isn’t what you ended up getting. Hamilton unashamedly addresses how he reacted to Hirunrusme’s infidelity in their relationship as the veil was lifted from his eyes and saw she wasn’t everything he thought she was. A ballad with a touch of country for your cheated hearts.
5. “Truth On Tape” – An appropriate title track as it summarizes the entire journey that has been “put on tape.” Hirunrusme’s breathy echoes and harmonies are perfectly placed as a partial conversation with Hamilton. As the song builds into its beautiful full ending, you get a sense that this song is an acceptance of what happened between the pair.
6. “Move Along Folks” – The eerie instrumentation and vocals make way for the darkest break-up song on this album. You can always run through each point in your relationship to point out the wrongs and place the blame but it sometimes boils down to this fact: “There is a not a problem / This is your evident lack of experience”. Let this song sink in for a good sulk.
7. “Days Go By” – This song drags a bit but doesn’t everything after a break-up? I will take this moment to applaud the simplicity that is Smile Smile. They don’t pull a lot of fancy tricks that people with their newfangled technology can, and they make do primarily with an acoustic guitar, keys, and their voices. They show a bit more variation in the last half of this album.
8. “The Attic” – Hamilton carries a majority of this slow song as he filters through the remnants of his relationship. Hirunrusme joins only during the chorus, almost encouraging him to move on, “it’s okay”.
9. “Sleepwalking” – A drum machine throws down a catchy beat as the album moves the spotlight away from their love life as Hamilton sings about the father that left him. Another broken relationship. Makes you wonder how Hamilton manages to create more songs in the pop genre than darker areas of the music spectrum.
10. “Goodbye Caroline” – In another slight twist, Hirunrusme takes over the reigns as her distinct and soft voice bids a regretful farewell to Caroline. Who is Caroline? I don’t know but this track leaves me wanting more of Hirunrusme’s whispers.
11. “Labor Of Love” – “You’re not forgiven” is how Hamilton begins the last track and he does not let up at all in this confession. Accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, this is how I imagine he began this project, this “labor of love” if you will, that ended up reuniting the two for this album. After listening to the previous tracks several times, this may actually be my favorite song due to its raw emotion, unhidden from bouncy piano tones and catchy melodies. This is what I call a break-up song.
Truth on Tape is the story of their love and loss but I call it a gain to the Dallas music scene. It might be a bit too light for those looking to completely drown their sorrows and desperation but for those that need a little kick in their recuperating step, Smile Smile will keep you company.
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