The instrumentation of Free To Stay is more intricate and the lyrical subject matter focuses solely on the idea of finding oneself (“Clap On”) and the delicate nature of interpersonal relationships.  Full text...

Now is the time to enjoy the blueberry popsicle joy in every keyboard note and hi-hat click of Smoosh's Free to Stay. Slurp it up.   Full text...

Their lyrics and musicianship may not quite yet be on a par with the majority of bands for which they are opening, but they're a hell of a lot better than most of the MTV bands out there.  Full text...

This is not teeny-bopper radio music, and Smoosh is not a novelty act aimed at a certain demographic. The music here is honest, stripped-down indie rock with a healthy dose of innocence.  Full text...

The talent's there, and so are the songs.  Full text...

The songs on Free to Stay are almost uniformly straight-up keyboard ‘n’ drums indie-pop, with only two tracks that steer even slightly into silliness, the self-consciously titled “Rock Song” and the mostly-instrumental toss-off that is “Organ Talk”.   Full text...

The instrumentation is refreshingly simple, effects-free and lean, with Chloe banging out steady, uncomplicated yet infectious beats on the drums and Asya making like Ben Folds (the early years) on the keyboards.  Full text...

"Find A Way" jumpstarts the album in its melodic progression of piano, gleaming in optimism, while "Rock Song" does what it says with its heaving crunchy guitar. Between the two albums,Smoosh presents a more confident pitch throughout Free To Stay in synchronizing instrument to lyric and the overall packaging of songs that have had a chance to age two years.  Full text...

Free to Stay is a fun listen up to about the halfway point, where the bright piano tone gets tired and you start longing for some more guitar crunch to fill the sound out around the edges. Even so, it's still a relief to hear a band use the piano for something other than plaintive break-up ballads (Chris Martin, I'm looking at you).  Full text...

Free To Stay may not have any groundbreaking songs or awe-inspiring moments, but the sisters show a great deal more promise than on their debut and only need to grow into their vocals to become a solid duo.  Full text...

Smoosh stumbles and delivers thin and flimsy songs. "Clap On" is run-of-the-mill piano-pounding pop you'll certainly call "filler." "Slower Than Gold" a mournful ballad, tilts at reaches of soul either Asya doesn't have or can't fit into her little-girl delivery, and the keyboard and vocal melodies of "Glider" beg us to whip out adjectives such as "trite" and "tired."  Full text...

It's an arresting collection of 12 songs teetering on the tip of tweenerdom, somehow sounding mature despite itself.  Full text...

Free to Stay has just enough to enjoy to keep these girls from being mere curiosities. While charming, it’s still a little too forgettable to be really exciting on its own merits.   Full text...