We were a little wary of new music from the other guys in Grandaddy, but guitarist Jim Fairchild’s solo project All Smiles is grabbing us. Jim says this is a no-budget record: “You can hear the walls, and the floors, and the ceilings, and you can hear the cars, and the trees, and the guys selling drugs outside.”

On the standout “Moth In A Cloud Of Smoke,” a propulsive piano lick and fuzz guitars compliment Jim’s vocals, which are surprisingly sweet. The axeman told Pitchfork last fall:

“I’ve always been really bashful about [singing] — like, a few times in my life people have been really asshole-y about me singing in front of them. A couple of pivotal people in my life have made me super freaked out about it. … Aaron from Earlimart has been really supportive … and also, I played a few shows with Modest Mouse last year about this time, and Isaac was really encouraging.”

Aww, cute. Sing your heart out ex-Grandaddy guy!

• All Smiles – “Moth In A Cloud Of Smoke”Download

Ten Readings‘s twangy “Pile Of Burning Leaves” can be streamed at MySpace. Jim’s touring with labelmates and Band To Watch Dappled Cities and you can catch ‘em both at Mother Egan’s next Thursday during SXSW.

Ten Readings Of A Warning is out 4/24 on Dangerbird Records.