In 2003, Las Vegas rock juggernauts The Killers released their monumentally successful single “Mr. Brightside” along with its B-side counterpart, “Smile Like You Mean It.” Of course, 2003 was a very different time and while Halifax emo-pop band Kids Losing Sleep namedrop The Killers as a major inspiration, KLS’ latest single, “Smile Anyway,” is a little more suited to 2021.
The band’s influences hit hard immediately after dipping their toes in with a gentle introduction. The killer guitar work takes hold with some hooks that could have easily found their place on Hot Fuss. Add to it the song’s powerful bassline and we’ve got a recipe for arena rock.
The chorus is just fuel to the fire, opening up with “So pour me another drink, ’cause I don’t feel right, can anybody relate, staying up all night?” and undoubtedly finding itself in a place in many late-night repertoires of dashboard karaoke artists, not to mention anyone prepared to belt it out stage side. That being said, while the band has no trouble letting loose with this song, it’s just as dark at its root as “Mr. Brightside.” It’s a banger for sure, but an emo banger. Again, this is par for the course in 2021.
The band explain that the song lets loose with emotionally-driven lyrics as a means of grappling with the experiences of the last year, particularly when it comes to “mental health and being isolated both physically and emotionally.”
“I wrote this song at a personal low back in 2019, and that’s ultimately what the song is about, pushing through those lows,” says Owen Williams, Kids Losing Sleeps’ guitarist and vocalist. “But over the last year, I feel the song has taken on a new meaning in the context of the world stage. We feel releasing this song now makes more sense than ever.”
Self-recorded and produce, with John Mullane and Paul Edwards mixing and mastering, respectively, “Smile Anyway” is the first single in a series of singles that Kids Losing Sleep has planned for release over the next year. The band also say that they’ve got big plans to return to the stage in the fall with an all-new live experience.