{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Smile Kid | type = studio | artist = We the Kings | cover = Smile Kid cover.jpg | alt = A photo of all We the Kings members sitting on a rock near the ocean | released = December 8, 2009 | recorded = 2009 | venue = | studio = | genre = {{flatlist| * Pop punk<ref name="altpress"/> * pop rock<ref name="alterthepress">{{cite web|last=|first=|url=http://www.alterthepress.com/2010/03/album-review-we-kings-smile-kid.html|title=Album Review: We the Kings - Smile Kid|publisher=alterthepress|date=|accessdate=August 6, 2017}}</ref> * {{nowrap|power pop}}<ref name="alterthepress"/> * pop<ref name="Idobi"/> }} | length = 42:14 | label = {{flatlist| * S-Curve * Virgin }} | producer = S*A*M and Sluggo | prev_title = Secret Valentine EP | prev_year = 2008 | next_title = Sunshine State of Mind | next_year = 2011 | misc = {{Singles | name = Smile Kid | type = studio | single1 = Heaven Can Wait | single1date = October 13, 2009 | single2 = We'll Be a Dream | single2date = July 16, 2010 | single3 = She Takes Me High | single3date = November 2010 }} }} '''''Smile Kid''''' (stylized as '''''Smile Kid シ''''') is the second studio album by American rock band We the Kings, released through S-Curve Records on December 8, 2009.<ref name="absolutepunk.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1367571 |title=We the Kings' Smile, Kid Release Date Amendment - News Article |publisher=AbsolutePunk.net |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref> The album title comes from a lyric in the song "The Story of Your Life".
==Background== Travis Clark said "Everything had an anthemic sound to it."<ref name=AnchoragePress/> The lyrics Clark wrote for ''Smile Kid'' "were just so in-depth and meaningful to me personally".<ref name=AnchoragePress>{{cite web|url=http://www.anchoragepress.com/music/we-kings|title=We the Kings|work=Anchorage Press|author=McCummings, Zakiya|date=June 12, 2015|accessdate=September 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617042038/http://www.anchoragepress.com/music/we-kings|archive-date=2015-06-17|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Smile Kid'' was "more experimental [compared to the first album] with piano, horns, strings and even a whistle."<ref name=Moveinterview>{{cite web|url=http://move.themaneater.com/stories/2014/3/12/q-and-travis-clark-we-kings/#.VfP49TZRGUk|title=Q-and-A with Travis Clark of We The Kings|work=Move|author=Duan, Crystal|date=March 12, 2014|accessdate=September 12, 2015|archive-date=September 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912103558/http://move.themaneater.com/stories/2014/3/12/q-and-travis-clark-we-kings/#.VfP49TZRGUk|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Release== "Heaven Can Wait" was released as a single on October 13, 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/heaven-can-wait-single/id1029986039|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911012923/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/heaven-can-wait-single/id1029986039|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 11, 2016|title=Heaven Can Wait - Single by We the Kings |work=iTunes|accessdate=June 10, 2016}}</ref> and charted at number 18 on the ''Billboard'' Heatseekers Songs chart and at number 32 on the Pop Songs chart.<ref>{{cite web|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=we the kings|chart=Pop Songs B}} |title=We the Kings Music News & Info |publisher=Billboard.com |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref> Actress and singer Demi Lovato was also announced to be contributing guest vocals on album's song "We'll Be a Dream" which is the second single off the album. The band undertook a tour of the United States to support the album.<ref name="Brand">{{cite web|url=http://www.bradenton.com/entertainment/story/1900113.html|title=We The Kings releases new album today|work=Brandenton Herald|accessdate=2009-12-09}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Between mid-October and early December, the band went on a US tour alongside All Time Low, Hey Monday and the Friday Night Boys.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://melodic.net/?page=news&id=13896|title=All Time Low & We The Kings Announce Fall Tour|work=Melodic|author=Dallas|date=July 27, 2009|accessdate=June 2, 2017}}</ref>
The artwork for the album was released on November 8, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1415952 |title=We The Artwork - News Article |publisher=AbsolutePunk.net |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref> Following the release of a false track listing in October,<ref>{{cite web|last=Ableson |first=Jon |url=http://www.alterthepress.com/2009/10/we-kings-new-album-track-listing.html |title=We The Kings New Album Track Listing |publisher=Alter The Press! |date=2009-08-20 |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref> the official track listing was announced on November 17, 2009. The album was also originally scheduled to be released on November 17, but was corrected to be released on December 8, 2009.<ref name="absolutepunk.net"/> Pre-orders of ''Smile Kid'' were available in two different packages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1418212 |title=We the Kings Pre-order - News Article |publisher=AbsolutePunk.net |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref> The album was available for streaming via MySpace on December 8, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1461982 |title=We The Streaming - News Article |publisher=AbsolutePunk.net |date= |accessdate=2012-03-09}}</ref> From January to March 2010, the band headlined the Take Action Tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/36318/we-the-kings-mayday-parade-play-2010-take-action-tour|title=We The Kings, Mayday Parade play 2010 Take Action Tour|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=December 11, 2009|access-date=October 15, 2022}}</ref> "We'll Be a Dream" was released to mainstream radio on March 2, 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=69239|title=Airplay Archive: CHR|work=FMQB|accessdate=November 2, 2016}}</ref> and released as a single on July 16.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/well-be-dream-feat.-demi-lovato/id377829822|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921185435/https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/well-be-dream-feat.-demi-lovato/id377829822|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2016|title=We'll Be a Dream (feat. Demi Lovato) - Single by We the Kings |work=iTunes|date=16 July 2010 |accessdate=November 2, 2016}}</ref> Between late June and early August, the band performed on Warped Tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-dillinger-escape-plan-every-time-i-die-suicide-silence-confirmed-for-vans-warped-tour/|title=The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Suicide Silence Confirmed For Vans Warped Tour |publisher=Blabbermouth.net|date=December 19, 2009|accessdate=July 13, 2017}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Music ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |first=Andrew |last=Leahey |title=Review: ''Smile Kid'' |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1671444|pure_url=yes}} |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=26 December 2009}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Alternative Press'' |rev2score = (3/5)<ref name="altpress"/> |rev3 = ''Idobi'' |rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Idobi">{{cite web |first=James |last=McGrath |title="Smile Kid" solidifies We the Kings' pop-punk image |url=http://idobi.com/news/2010/01/smile-kid-solidifies-we-the-kings’-pop-punk-image/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606004555/http://idobi.com/news/2010/01/smile-kid-solidifies-we-the-kings%e2%80%99-pop-punk-image/|publisher=Idobi Network |date=January 31, 2010|archivedate=June 6, 2012|accessdate=September 5, 2015}}</ref> }}<!-- Automatically generated by DASHBot--> ''Alternative Press'' reviewer Scott Heisel rated the album 3/5, saying that "Fans of We the Kings' debut will undoubtedly find something to hold on to with ''Smile Kid'', but for those who were less than enamored with the band's pop-punk blend will likely stay that way." He said although the band "have expanded their previously narrow sound", he was still dissuaded by the band's failure to branch out musically; "Until the band are willing to step further outside the musical box, and Clark is willing to belt it out, We the Kings will remain good, not great--and still on the verge of pop-punk royalty."<ref name="altpress">{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/reviews/smilekid.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205035156/http://altpress.com/reviews/smilekid.htm|title=File Under: Pop-punk - We The Kings - Smile Kid|work=Alternative Press|author=Heisel, Scott |date=November 30, 2009|archivedate=December 5, 2009 |accessdate=September 5, 2015}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{track listing | all_lyrics = Travis Clark | all_music = Clark, except where noted | title1 = She Takes Me High | length1 = 4:06 | title2 = Promise the Stars | length2 = 4:36 | note2 = Clark, Sam Hollander, Dave Katz | title3 = Heaven Can Wait | length3 = 3:31 | note3 = Clark, Hollander, Katz | title4 = The Story of Your Life | length4 = 3:32 | note4 = Clark, Hollander, Katz | title5 = Rain Falls Down | length5 = 4:31 | title6 = Summer Love | length6 = 3:25 | title7 = In-n-Out (Animal Style) | length7 = 3:08 | note7 = Clark, Hollander, Katz | title8 = Spin | length8 = 3:59 | title9 = Anna Maria (All We Need) | length9 = 3:22 | title10 = We'll Be a Dream <small>(featuring Demi Lovato)</small> | length10 = 3:53 | title11 = What You Do to Me | length11 = 4:20 |total_length = 42:14 }} {{Track listing | headline = Deluxe edition bonus tracks | total_length = | title12 = Heaven Can Wait | note12 = acoustic | length12 = 3:10 | title13 = She Takes Me High | note13 = acoustic | length13 = 4:05 }} {{Track listing | headline = Australian edition bonus tracks | total_length = | title12 = Check Yes Juliet (Run Baby Run) | note12 = | length12 = 3:40 | title13 = Secret Valentine | note13 = | length13 = 3:28 }}
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== <!-- This is a licensed stream for the album, which is allowed under Wikipedia polices --> *[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpdhV5olHbBsA7mOfBwPeUfT_uLdJq8vb ''Smile Kid''] at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
{{We the Kings}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2009 albums Category:We the Kings albums Category:S-Curve Records albums Category:Albums produced by S*A*M and Sluggo