When a band goes through a messy divorce, you often get a clean division of communal artistic property. The ensuing rivalry, whether spoken or unspoken, typically pits the eccentric against the centrist—see Mars Volta vs. Sparta, Lennon vs. McCartney, Wilco vs. Son Volt, or Andre 3000 vs. Big Boi. For those who must choose sides in following the dissolution of Smith Westerns, which saw former guitarist Max Kakacek breaking off from the band to form Whitney, an immediate tonal difference can be identified: Whitney plays breezy AM radio-indie; Lead singer Cullen Omori made a solo reco… read more
When a band goes through a messy divorce, you often get a clean division of communal artistic property. The ensuing rivalry, whether spoken or unspok… read more
When a band goes through a messy divorce, you often get a clean division of communal artistic property. The ensuing rivalry, whether spoken or unspoken, typically pits the eccentric agai… read more
Vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Cullen Omori offers an individual perspective on indie pop with his darkly tuneful and atmospheric songs. After the breakup of his flashy rock band the Smith Westerns, Omori went solo and took a detour into moody indie pop with 2016's New Misery, while 2018's The Diet was a more expansive and musically diverse effort. Omori was one of the founders of the Chicago-based band the Smith Westerns, who formed in 2007 and became an indie success story with the 2011 album Dye It Blonde. However, after 2013's Soft Will received a… read more
Vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Cullen Omori offers an individual perspective on indie pop with his darkly tuneful and atmospheric songs. After the breakup of his flashy roc… read more
Vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Cullen Omori offers an individual perspective on indie pop with his darkly tuneful and atmospheric songs. After the breakup of his flashy rock band the Smith Westerns, Omori went solo and… read more