Smile Kid

Smile Kid

We the Kings are MySpace darlings with unabashed ambition for driving commercial emo-pop as far as it can go, so don’t expect innovative chartings of musical territories unexplored. Do expect contagiously catchy songs that are predictably enjoyable, as they contrast lovelorn sentiment with soaring feel-good melodies that endearingly radiate Florida sunshine. “She Takes Me High” opens with barbed “doo-doo-doos” in the chorus that are nearly impossible to get out of your head, while the skip-along rhythms of “Promise the Stars” and the dire urgency of “Rain Falls Down” recalls Jimmy Eat World. And while other tunes sound influenced by Newfound Glory and Blink-182 there are dazzling moments of originality, like the standout single “Heaven Can Wait” and the hilarious “In-N-Out (Animal Style),” a tribute to the West Coast’s most popular fast food joint (and its most-coveted secret menu item). “We’ll Be a Dream” is a melodramatic power ballad that features the sultry squeak of Disney starlet Demi Lovato.

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