blue smiley

Blue Smiley was a Philadelphia-based indie rock band that served as the musical outlet for singer, songwriter, and guitarist Brian Nowell. A slippery fusion of shoegaze and melodic noise pop, Nowell's songs were dynamic, offbeat, and engaging. The group released two albums -- 2015's ok and 2017's return, both on small local indies -- before Nowell's tragic death in October 2017. In 2023, Boston label Topshelf reissued both of Blue Smiley's albums along with several previously unreleased songs. Nowell and bassist John Slavin first met in music school in 2009 and remained frien...