Tom Lynch

Jim Fairchild's first outing since his days in the late, great Grandaddy, All Smiles' "Ten Readings of a Warning," on Dangerbird Records, is, first and foremost, a pop record, simple and pure, never over-thought or complicated with blind ambition. With the songwriting stone solid, Fairchild proves that, in the end, that's what's most important. "Summer Stay" is, you guessed it, summer-like sweet, acoustic-guitar-based and driven by Fairchild's breathy, plain vocals (it reminds me a little of Matt Sharp's work with The Rentals). Most of these songs rely on his acoustic guitar--while backed by a band, of course, contributors including Sleater-Kinney's Janet Weiss--and effective vocal melody, something Fairchild, at least with this album, has proven he can handle swimmingly. My favorite is the piano-backed "I Know It's Wrong," with its pretty, devastatingly sad chorus. There are moments when you feel Fairchild's held back a little too much, where an extra guitar or piano part could've helped, but those moments are few. Mostly, the record's gently narcotic.

All Smiles plays May 19 at the Empty Bottle, 1035 North Western, (773)276-3600, at 10pm. $10. (2007-05-15)

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