Thompson Springs began as a side-project that quickly became the main project for Matt Smith. As his band The Sharrows ended, the guitarist found another home for his dreamier, hazier songwriting.PBS called the band “a mix of indie folk with a southern/western feel,” and Detroit Public Radio (WDET) noted that they pull influences from classic songwriters, like Tom Petty, to more recent indie artists, like Kurt Vile. Thompson Springs started working with Kurt Vile collaborator Rob Laakso as well as Wilco’s Pat Sansone for their debut album, Undertones, which they released on the band's own label, Dropped Beauty.