Smirk

Los Angeles power-pop / jangle punk band Smirk’s forthcoming album, Speculative Fiction on Smoking Room, puts a new spin on an age-old punk theme: unrest in the suburbs. Here, that unrest comes from reckoning with past indiscretions and the reflection that follows. “When I was writing Speculative Fiction, a lot of it dealt with the ‘old me’ and the life choices I made while abusing substances,” recalls Vicario. “The record is partially about the ‘old me,’ but also about placing them in my current world and its problems.” Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Vicario came up in the scene that produced Poison Idea and Wipers, playing in bands young. At 12, his first band, The Diskords, caught the attention of Maximum Rocknroll and The Exploding Hearts. Hardcore bands like Cower led to indie-pop outfit Wild Ones, who released two records, including one on Topshelf Records. After years in bands including Public Eye, Cemento, and Crisis Man, Vicario turned his focus to Smirk. With Speculative Fiction, Smirk slows things down, trading earlier punk for a more deliberate power-pop approach. The result draws from Big Star, The Paul Collins Beat, early Stiff releases, and the DIY spirit of Guided by Voices. “I wanted my music to reflect what I listen to,” says Vicario. “I used to focus on making fast punk, but I wanted to bring in my current influences, still rooted in classic punk, with bits of pop and metal, and be more thoughtful in my lyrics.”