Sad Brad Smith

[14] A party and concert were held at Schubas, in Chicago, on January 23, 2011, to celebrate the physical release of Love is Not What You Need on vinyl, and Smith performed the album live, backed by a new band.

In a review of the show, Consequence of Sound called the group "tight, talented, and entertaining," and observed that "Smith has a charming, low-key stage manner that quickly invites you in, and you can’t help but stay with him.

"[15] In 2014, he released the single "On the Beach," which was described by PopMatters as containing "a touch of ringing melody to sweeten his twangy folk sound,"[16] along with an official music video directed by Alex Thompson and starring legendary character actor Austin Pendleton.

[17] According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the 2014 album Magic expanded the song's sound to contain "early Beatles harmonies, traditional folk instruments, country guitar, and melting studio atmospherics [which] collectively create living cinema for your mind.

"[18] A frequent collaborator of Chicago filmmakers Alex Thompson and Kelly O'Sullivan, he most recently appeared on screen for them in their 2024 film Ghostlight, for which he also composed the children's song, "That's Enough.