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Ross Smithwick - Guitars / Vocals
Thomas Warne - Guitars / Vocals
Thomas Gale - Guitars
Philip Wrixton - Bass
Fiann Smithwick - Drums

The notorious second album is a difficult milestone in every bands career. Following the critical acclaim heaped upon their impressive debut ‘Walk Into The Light And Reach For The Sky’ it was always going to be hard for five young lads from Dorset to top it, let alone emulate it. But progression is a wonderful thing and ‘Years’ is a more than worthy successor that sees Secondsmile pushing the musical boundaries even further.

Helmed by Grammy-nominated producer-cum-genius Andrew Schneider (Cave In, Daughters, Pelican, Two Gallants, 5ive), ‘Years’ is the culmination of a lot of hard work. Secondsmile scrimped and saved to afford the trip to New York to record and the results are truly astounding. Featuring guest appearances from likes of Gerard Garone of NY post-punkers Radio 4 who added synths to the mix, label mate Dan Adams (This Town Needs Guns) adding trumpet and Oli Knowles (ex-Meet Me In St Louis) adding strings, ‘Years’ is a bold and beautiful record. Mastering duties were taken up by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound; a man with a musical CV longer than most whose mastered records for such legendary acts as Ramones, Bowie, Sonic Youth, Springsteen and Mogwai to name just a few (and we mean just a few). Calbi has worked his magic bringing new vigour to Secondsmile’s musical output.

Sounding cleaner, meaner and crisper than ever, ‘Years’ is going to turn heads, break necks, bruise hearts and establish Secondsmile as a force to be reckoned with. Having been playing together for over 10 years, the fact that the band are still in their early 20s shows their true commitment to their music; and is pretty impressive in this day and age. From the early days of their debut EP – sounding like a Refused loving Thursday – through the At The Drive-In meets Radiohead aggressive post-rock of 'Walk Into The Light...' to this, their brightest moment so far, like a fine whiskey, Secondsmile have matured well with age and are only now showing the true potential as songwriters and musicians they always held within.

Secondsmile now look forward to spending the rest of the year on tour in the UK and Europe, following up on previous stints with the likes of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, The Fall Of Troy, Dartz, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Yndi Halda and more. It's the live arena where they're really in their element and with a huge and eclectic array of new material to show off, they'll soon have everyone singing in the streets and barbecuing on the beach to the sounds of this, the feel good hit of the summer.

'Years' is set for release via Big Scary Monsters Records on 7th July, proceeded by the single 'Tell Me A Story' on 30th June.

 

Years		Meet Me In St Louis split 7"		Walk Into The Light And Reach For The Sky
Astronauts		50 Not Out		Record Label Shmecord Label

MP3: Myspace
Video: Tell Me A Story (taken from 'Years')



Video: Stars Away (taken from 'Years')

www.secondsmile.net
www.myspace.com/secondsmile

Rock Sound
By turns tranquil, soaring, visceral and triumphant, it's an early indication that 06 is going to be a killer year for great British music... This debut full length confirms beyond doubt that the quartet are one of the UK's finest young bands... This album drips in smart songwriting class

Punktastic
One of the best UK releases in many a month

Subba Cultcha
Artful in it’s creation, meticulous in it’s delivery and moving for the listener on it’s reception, ‘Walk Into The Light And Reach For The Sky’ is a glowing masterpiece

Metal Hammer
Think the brash intensity of Thursday, the introspective calm of Radiohead, the chaos of At The Drive-In and the sheet technical brilliance of Minus The Bear - this is mesmerising stuff

New Noise
Thank god for Secondsmile, Britain has needed a band like this for ages

Kerrang
The Dorset boys hold anger and big jagged riffs way back, tricking listeners into a false sense of security before smacking them round the head like rock gremlins exposed to the sunlight

Big Cheese
A picturesque sonic landscape... Sterling stuff from young British hopefuls

The Communion
If Minus The Bear went on a post-rock wig-out, with old-school Hopesfall occasionally rearing a bratish head – then it would sound something akin to this

Planet Loud
As far as debuts go this is right up there with Wayne Rooney's first Manchester United appearance - they've scored a bloody hat-trick

Punktastic
Secondsmile are chaotic, crazy and creative and, best of all, they’re British... Fans of ‘the mosh’, as you cool kids like to call it, are going to love this band. (4/5)

Skratch
Sidestepping the usual emo-core formula Secondsmile tread a fine-line between soulful post-rock and Refused-style scream-core, emerging with some vicious punk rock tuneage with a lethal sugary bite. Awesome stuff.

Metal Pigeon
'I am not Romeo' has left me tingling. Ollys voice breaks achingly throughout the 4 tracks on offer with such beauty it melts me. The intricacy of the guitar is like the secrets reserved only for your loved one, and the drums are like the driving passion fueling the affair... This really is one of the best CD's I've ever heard. (9.5/10)

New Noise
Secondsmile are exactly the kind of noisy buggers I like. It's riotous and anarchic. It's frenzied and hysterical. They are like a British Blood Brothers; young, dynamic and very exciting - Live review from The Bar Academy, London, 16th October 2004

Kapow Zine
The defining work of a band surely destined for great things. (4/5)

Gamefoe
This EP is the sort of thing that gets my adrenaline pumping through my veins and reminds me that British music can still compete with the best of any nation and Secondsmile have raised the bar so high for a debut EP that new bands need not bother. (5/5)

Organ
Poignant edgy brave high wire red animal wars that need a little bit of your attention

Kill The Noise
The future for this band is no doubt an extremely bright one... Secondsmile could really stand out and become celebrated survivors of the predestined emo-crush