This Is Me Smiling

With a collective love of <a href="spotify:artist:55tif8708yyDQlSjh3Trdu">Ben Folds</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>, the indie pop foursome This Is Me Smiling emerged from the western suburbs of Chicago in 2005 to release their sweetly melodic self-titled debut through local indie The Vinyl Summer. Vocalist/guitarist Dan Duszynski, keyboardist/vocalist Sheldon Miller, bassist Matt Schuessler, and drummer Adam Kaltenhauser got the word out playing shows with hometown peers <a href="spotify:artist:1RCoE2Dq19lePKhPzt9vM5">the Hush Sound</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:51J0q8S7W3kIEYHQi3EPqk">Bayside</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3jwm6OBdUY5xzFiFIPhMHu">the Academy Is...</a>, and even managed to score a song ("Mixin' Up Adjectives") on the 2005 Epitaph compilation Punk-O-Rama, Vol. 10. Before anyone knew it, This Is Me Smiling's charming, piano-driven rock had earned them a deal with OneHaven (an imprint of Columbia Records), which then reissued the band's eponymous album in early March 2007. ~ Corey Apar, Rovi