World So Bright

Recorded at Chicago Recording Company and in Schmitt's Champaign, Illinois, basement, the album was produced by Greg Edward and Schmitt.[5][6][7] It contains contributions from Lisa Germano, Kenny Aronoff, John Richardson, and Jay Bennett.[8][9] "Scarlet Street" addresses the problem of homelessness in the United States.[10]

Trouser Press thought that the "well-crafted songs are mega-tuneful guitar-driven gems with hooks galore and lyrics that rise above the prosaic 'boy meets girl/boy loses girl/boy misses girl/boy goes looking for another girl' fodder."[8] The Chicago Tribune determined that "the album's dozen songs resound with the innate humability that informs the best work of Squeeze, XTC and the dB's."[12]

The Palm Beach Post wrote: "A hopeful romantic, [Schmitt] infuses love song after love song with memorable hooks. A tough, heartfelt delivery gives them an added edge."[14] The Republican concluded that "it's pop alright, but the hooks don't hook and the thing don't swing."[13] Rolling Stone called it "more than a promising debut, it's a confident piece of work from a canny singer-songwriter who's going to be around for a good long while."[1]

AllMusic wrote that "things are less impressive when the amps get cranked too high ('River Black'), but fortunately that's not a frequent mistake, and one that's more than redeemed by songs like the wistful, touching ballad 'Elizabeth Einstein'."[11] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide deemed the album "a flawless disc," writing that the title track is a "symmetrical diamond."[15] In 2001, Goldmine labeled World So Bright "a pop manifesto to the max, brimming with catchy tunes delivered in a classic pop style."[16]