It’s been three years since the debut single was released back in August of 2017 and dare I say that the wait was worth it. That track, “The Autumn Man”, kicks off the record and sets the stage for the general tone of the record; euphoric vibes, a penchant for a big chorus laden with vocal tracks and so many instrumental flourishes you can’t help but be rewarded with something new on repeated listens. While the album feels bright and shiny, there’s an undercurrent of something dark weaving through. “White Under Blacklight” delivers an absolutely bombastic wall of guitars, “The Afterlife” breezes along with literal lyrics about a world beyond the living and “Die Tonight” closes out the record with a combo rumbling bass and taunt towards Death. The record feels cohesive and consistent but it’s not afraid to provide something different along the way.

Bands like Self, The Rentals, Jellyfish and their ilk often register as one pigeonholed genre of music on quick listen but a deeper dive into the work reveals a daringness to combine all manner of influences. Smart Objects may sound like a pop/rock band at first glance but there’s a depth of range offered up on this self-titled debut that can only be appreciated in full with a top to bottom listen, possibly more than once. It’s damn good even at a distance but even better if you commit to it.

Hopefully it’s not another three years for another record but if that’s what it takes to properly avoid the snares of experience, I’m willing to wait and have an excellent debut to tide me over in the meantime.

Available on Bandcamp, Spotify and everywhere else you prefer to stream music.

Nehoda is a relatively new band to the Nashville music scene but it’s comprised of members with plenty of experience making music in other outfits (drummer Jeremy Gill in Kitchn and namesake Patrick Nehoda with solo releases). The trio took their experience and headed to Sundog Recording Studio in East Nashville to track everything live for their debut album, …But Anyways.

While the album is slated for an early October release, early preview singles like “Shakey Pop” give a glimpse of the types of styles to expect. We Own This Town has actually be fortunate enough to hear the whole record ahead of its release and can confirm that when the band wants to unleash, they do so with great abandon.

“Shakey Pop” is a thunderous track of pounding drums, crunchy guitars, flourishing bass and just the right dose of detached vocals. Hearing Nehoda belt out “I miss all the times we talked” is somehow both lovingly delivered and equally pained. All told, it’s a fun garage rock-y song with a little pinch of 90’s grunge influence seeping through. Serving as a bit of an introduction to a brand new band, it makes quite the impression.