5 Questions With: Smut

On their latest LP, the Chicago quintet lean heavily on 90s influences to build something new.

Jun 01, 2023

Good morning!

Today we’re talking with Smut lead singer Tay Roebuck

First things first: Smut doesn’t sound anything like their name might imply. You're out of luck if you’re looking for a heavier, sludgy sound. You've hit pay dirt if you like your indie rock jangly with bright, clean vocals. And if you like all of that tinged with a 90s influence? Well, you might have a new favorite record on your hands.

Smut is a Chicago-based quintet by way of Cincinnati. 2022’s How The Light Felt is the band’s Second LP and came a full five years after their debut, End of Sam-soon. The band’s sound was served with liberal doses of fuzz and a dash of grit, but that’s been swapped out for a clearer bright shiny sound. They’ve clearly dug deep into their record collections to find their favorite 90s bands, but this is an homage, not a ripoff.

If you‘re like me, don’t be surprised to find yourself thinking a note here or a bridge there sounds really familiar, even if you can’t pinpoint who it might be. Listening to the record before putting this together, I decided I’d try to scribble down names as they came to me. My list included Ned’s (yes, really- check out the first notes of “Soft Engine” and then do the same with “Kill Your Television.” Maybe it’s just me). Even Letters to Cleo and the Blake Babies made the cut. But a more refined vibe also reminds me of a Midwest version of The Sundays.

This is a 2022 release, but it would be just as at home on 4AD in 1988-89. All of that to say that they’ve done a great job of taking familiar parts and creating a unique sound.

I recently had a chance to catch up with frontwoman Tay Roebuck via email.

Our chat has been lightly edited for clarity/flow.

Can you fill in a little bit of your backstory? Walk us through what made you get started playing. Are there other bands that you are/were involved in?

Tay: Originally, Sam and Andrew were in separate bands in college. When I moved to Ohio, the three of us started making music following Andrew leaving his old band. We’ve had a few different lineups with drummers and bass players, and eventually, Bell moved from New York and joined. When we came to Chicago, Aidan came into the picture! I think everyone except me has been in a few bands before ours.

I can hear quite a few influences on How The Light Felt. (eg, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin on “Soft Engine”). On one press release, I saw the record described as [diving] headfirst into the band’s vast pool of 90s influences. In your mind, who’s in the pool?

Tay: I don’t know Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, but I’ll give them a listen! When the album was written, we were all listening to different 90s bands (Pavement, Everything But the Girl, Pulp, Sinead O’Connor, Massive Attack, etc.) that hopefully gave us a broader sound than if we just ripped one thing. It’s funny that you mentioned a band we haven’t heard of. I think a lot of interviews and reviews about our album include more underground bands, and it feeds more potential influence for the future!

Chicago is obviously a large scene. Do you have a favorite band to see and/or play with? Who is flying under the radar that we should know?

Tay: I would say some great bands coming up right now would be Red Tunic, Elizabeth Moen, Floatie, Roof Dogs, Moontype, and Free Range! Check every single one of them out!

Along with that, the band got its start in Cincinnati before moving to Chicago. Cincy is a thriving scene in its own right. What prompted the move? Was it specifically band-related or something else?

Tay: Stimulus checks made moving to Chicago possible for us (laughs). We had signed to Bayonet Records, the pandemic was in full swing, and we thought it would be nice to exit the pandemic into a larger scene with more opportunity when the album came out. We didn’t know how long Covid would last, but we lucked out having a release when things finally started moving, and we could play live. It’s a pretty central location for a lot of great cities as far as touring goes, too!

What’s next? More recording? Out on the road? What’s the rest of 2023 look like for you?

Tay: We are in the middle of writing album two, which will hopefully be recorded this year! We are playing a few shows this summer, including the Real Love Festival in Canada, and hopefully have more shows to come in the fall around possible recording schedules.

Smut- How the Light Felt, 2022

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1. Describe your musical taste in one sentence.

Chaotic overthinking in a pop casing.

2. What music was playing in your house(s) growing up?

I feel like it was always alternating between ELO and Smashmouth?

3. What are you listening to these days?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Santigold and Metric. I might be in the middle of a quarter-life crisis.

4. What are your 5 Desert Island Discs?

Third Eye Blind- S/T
Oso Oso- Basking in the Glow
MCR- Welcome to the Black Parade
Any Best of The Temptations CD so I can get all the hits
Pavement- Brighten the Corners

5. If you could collaborate with any artist/band, who would it be?

If we are talking pipe dreams, I’d die if I even got to meet Damon Albarn, let alone work with him. I’m so excited for the new Blur record.

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