This Is Me Smiling 'This Is Me Smiling' album

This Is Me Smiling’s core members, Dan Duszynski (guitar/ lead vocals), Sheldon Miller (piano/vocals), Matt Schuessler (bass), all grew up in the Northwestern Suburbs of Chicago playing in bands together since they were sixteen. Fast forward a few years and a few failed attempts at forming a lasting band, the threesome honed their songwriting into a unique blend of indie-pop, with influences ranging from punk to jazz, and rock to classical. With a new sound true to their individual and collective spirit, they renamed themselves This Is Me Smiling.

With a slew of demos in hand This Is Me Smiling connected with producer Sean O’Keefe, who had just finished recording Fallout Boy’s and Hawthorne Height’s debut albums. O’Keefe heard the originality in the demos and signed on to co-produce the record. Recording began in 2004 and occurred over the course of six (6) months moving from Smart Studios in Madison, WI, to Big Gold and Gravity Studios in Chicago, IL in 2004.

The band self financed the recording and when the money ran out but the ideas kept coming, O’Keefe took the band to New Trier High School, where O’Keefe is an alum and the school is known for it’s creative facilities and development of future creative leaders. They set up shop in the performance auditorium, mic’ed the room and recorded piano tracks. They did the same in the band and jazz room where they recorded drums and percussion.

Once the album was mixed and mastered at the end of 2004, the band set out to getting the music into the hands of kids. The band set up their myspace page and pressed copies of the album with full art to sell at shows. Their music traveled around quickly and led to two different compilation opportunities.

First, “Mixin’ Up Adjectives” caught the ear of Epitaph president Brett Gurewitz, who on a recommendation from Motion City Soundtrack listened in to This Is Me Smiling’s myspace page. Mr. Brett loved the song and placed “’ Adjectives” on the 2005 and 10th edition of his label’s Punk-O-Rama, even though the band was not signed to the label. Second, friends at Aware Records turned on their A&R department to This Is Me Smiling’s music, and they placed the track “Prettier” on their 11th installment of the Aware Compilation.

Both compilations came out in 2005 and the music and album caught the ear of other bands leading to tour offers supporting Motion City Soundtrack, The All American Rejects, The Academy Is, and Jack's Mannequin. This Is Me Smiling sold a few thousand copies of their debut throughout the next year on the road.

Now, recently signed to One Haven Music/Columbia, their self-titled debut is due out nationally February 2007. The band is currently on tour supporting fellow Chicago natives and friends The Hush Sound.

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This Is Me Smiling - This Is Me Smiling