Too smiley

We The Kings are part of the latest swell of power pop bands (Boys Like Girls, The Maine) that have made it kind-of big recently, but they’re certainly the worst of the lot. Every single one of their songs sounds and leaves you feeling exactly the same.
    
And that all continues on their second album, the horribly-titled “Smile Kid.” Nearly every track on “Kid” blends into the next thanks to the generic soaring hooks and pretty bland lyrics. While a few of the efforts might be pretty charming when listening to them individually (single “Heaven Can Wait” and “Summer Love”), after 12 of them in a row, it’s not that effective.

Throw in some really cheesy lyrics from vocalist Travis Clark (“Heaven can wait up high / In the sky / It's you and I / Heaven can wait deep down in your eyes”) and a guest appearance from Disney’s Demi Lovato and “Smile Kid” leaves a bad, too-sugary taste in your mouth.