Smile Kid

Smile Kid (stylized as Smile Kid シ) is the second studio album by American rock band We the Kings, released through S-Curve Records on December 8, 2009.[4] The album title comes from a lyric in the song "The Story of Your Life".

Smile Kid
Studio album by
We the Kings
ReleasedDecember 8, 2009
Recorded2009
Genre
Length42:14
Label
ProducerS*A*M and Sluggo
We the Kings chronology
Secret Valentine EP
(2008)		 Smile Kid
(2009)		 Sunshine State of Mind
(2011)
Singles from Smile Kid
  1. "Heaven Can Wait"
    Released: October 13, 2009
  2. "We'll Be a Dream"
    Released: July 16, 2010
  3. "She Takes Me High"
    Released: November 2010

Background

Travis Clark said "Everything had an anthemic sound to it."[5] The lyrics Clark wrote for Smile Kid "were just so in-depth and meaningful to me personally".[5] Smile Kid was "more experimental [compared to the first album] with piano, horns, strings and even a whistle."[6]

Release

"Heaven Can Wait" was released as a single on October 13, 2009[7] and charted at number 18 on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs chart and at number 32 on the Pop Songs chart.[8] Actress and singer Demi Lovato was also announced to be contributing guest vocals on album's song "We'll Be a Dream" which is the second single off the album. The band undertook a tour of the United States to support the album.[9] Between mid-October and early December, the band went on a US tour alongside All Time Low, Hey Monday and the Friday Night Boys.[10]

The artwork for the album was released on November 8, 2009.[11] Following the release of a false track listing in October,[12] the official track listing was announced on November 17, 2009. The album was also originally scheduled to be released on November 17, but was corrected to be released on December 8, 2009.[4] Pre-orders of Smile Kid were available in two different packages.[13] The album was available for streaming via MySpace on December 8, 2009.[14] "We'll Be a Dream" was released to mainstream radio on March 2, 2010,[15] and released as a single on July 16.[16] Between late June and early August, the band performed on Warped Tour.[17]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[18]
Alternative Press(3/5)[1]
Idobi[3]

Alternative Press reviewer Scott Heisel rated the album 3/5, saying that "Fans of We the Kings' debut will undoubtedly find something to hold on to with Smile Kid, but for those who were less than enamored with the band's pop-punk blend will likely stay that way." He said although the band "have expanded their previously narrow sound", he was still dissuaded by the band's failure to branch out musically; "Until the band are willing to step further outside the musical box, and Clark is willing to belt it out, We the Kings will remain good, not great--and still on the verge of pop-punk royalty."[1]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Travis Clark; all music is composed by Clark, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."She Takes Me High"4:06
2."Promise the Stars" (Clark, Sam Hollander, Dave Katz)4:36
3."Heaven Can Wait" (Clark, Hollander, Katz)3:31
4."The Story of Your Life" (Clark, Hollander, Katz)3:32
5."Rain Falls Down"4:31
6."Summer Love"3:25
7."In-n-Out (Animal Style)" (Clark, Hollander, Katz)3:08
8."Spin"3:59
9."Anna Maria (All We Need)"3:22
10."We'll Be a Dream (featuring Demi Lovato)"3:53
11."What You Do to Me"4:20
Total length:42:14
Deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Heaven Can Wait" (acoustic)3:10
13."She Takes Me High" (acoustic)4:05

References
  1. Heisel, Scott (November 30, 2009). "File Under: Pop-punk - We The Kings - Smile Kid". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2009. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  2. "Album Review: We the Kings - Smile Kid". alterthepress. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  3. McGrath, James (January 31, 2010). ""Smile Kid" solidifies We the Kings' pop-punk image". Idobi Network. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  4. "We the Kings' Smile, Kid Release Date Amendment - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  5. McCummings, Zakiya (June 12, 2015). "We the Kings". Anchorage Press. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  6. Duan, Crystal (March 12, 2014). "Q-and-A with Travis Clark of We The Kings". Move. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  7. "Heaven Can Wait - Single by We the Kings". iTunes. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  8. "We the Kings Music News & Info". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  9. "We The Kings releases new album today". Brandenton Herald. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
  10. Dallas (July 27, 2009). "All Time Low & We The Kings Announce Fall Tour". Melodic. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  11. "We The Artwork - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  12. Ableson, Jon (2009-08-20). "We The Kings New Album Track Listing". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  13. "We the Kings Pre-order - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  14. "We The Streaming - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  15. "Airplay Archive: CHR". FMQB. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  16. "We'll Be a Dream (feat. Demi Lovato) - Single by We the Kings". iTunes. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  17. "The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Suicide Silence Confirmed For Vans Warped Tour". Blabbermouth.net. December 19, 2009. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  18. Leahey, Andrew. "Review: Smile Kid". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
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