All Smiles is the moniker of Chicago's Jim Fairchild. Fairchild was the longtime guitarist in Grandaddy and a one-time guitarist in Modest Mouse. As All Smiles, Fairchild creates acoustic-guitar troubadour tales that are mostly about the blues. But he sure sings about the blues in such a nice, sunshine-pop style. Think of All Smiles as Earlimart meets Sea Wolf.

This guy sure is connected from his Grandaddy days -- he received much impressive help on his debut (called Ten Recordings of a Warning) from members of Menomena, Sleater-Kinney and Black Heart Procession. All Smiles is a fine Fairchild transition.

All Smiles plays Schubas, on Thursday, September 27th.