Chicago garage pop all grown up

Mention Smith Westerns, and the one thing people usually will know is: “They’re really young, aren’t they?”

With youth comes inexperience and rawness, both of which sum up 2009’s eponymous debut adequately. However, after the Chicago-bred group’s sophomore album, “Dye It Blonde,” such a simple reduction would be unwise.

As most second tries are, “Dye It Blonde” possesses movement and polish that its predecessor lacked. The band has moved ahead by looking back; they’ve traded in some of their T. Rex-like glam rock tendencies for earlier 1960s rock riffs and pop tricks.

“Weekend,” both the lead single and lead track, opens with a slightly meandering synth sound before abruptly belting out an overdone guitar lick that’s almost early Beatles. The kickers and moments on songs are sharply created and heavily reliant on instrumentation like guitar or piano (the upstart guitar in “Fallen in Love” is one of the best moments).

Smith Westerns are still at their best when they let loose; that certainly hasn’t changed. But it’s the swooning organ introductions and Beach Boy-pretty harmonies on crooners like “All Die Young” that show the (quite rapid) maturation of the most interesting garage pop in a while.