CD Reviews

Smoosh

Free to Stay | Barsuk

By SHARON STEEL | August 8, 2006

3.0 Stars

Earlier this year, Hilary Duff told Elle that she pities critics who don’t adore her. “A song like ‘Wake Up’ is not for a 50-year-old man with arthritis who doesn’t want to get out of bed,” she sassed. Sister duo Smoosh are not so much younger than the 18-year-old tween princess. Duff, however, owns her own home and has a team of stylists to go with her tattoo’d rocker boyfriend. Smoosh (12-year-old drummer Chloe and her 14-year-old sis Asya on keyboards and vocals) live with their parents. And even with two albums under their collective belt (not to mention opening for Pearl Jam), they’re still on soccer teams. For these girls, being in a band is an extracurricular activity, not a career. Given that they’re free of label pressures, is it surprising that their simple, infectious duets are more blissed out than any of Duff’s anti-rheumatic anthems? Free To Stay is all about hyper, exuberant tunes as accessible to Kidz Bop kids as they are to parents. And Smoosh don’t seem to be worried about speeding toward adulthood. That much is obvious from Chloe’s plucky drumbeats and Asya’s hearty recommendations to “Figure you out, find yourself” on “Find a Way.” Sexed-up singles and red carpets can wait: Smoosh are growing up at their own pace.

Related: Finding dignity, Busdriver | Jhelli Beam, The Duff connection, More

Topics: CD Reviews , Pearl Jam, Hilary Duff

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