“Well, well,” I hear you shaking your collective heads and sighing, “that fruitcake Gordon has finally sunk his ship off the pier on this one…who the hell are the Smithereens and why should I listen to them” That screwball is always making grandiose claims of greatness on behalf of some obscure bar band or another...I just don’t know!”
Fret no more, oh skeptical one, for I shall lay aside all doubts with a handful of reasons as to why you should discover the Smithereens: 1) The Smithereens write and sing melodic, engaging little ditties that resemble and recall all those songs you love from the swingin’ ‘60s; 2) Especially For You is the album that every one of those “nuevo wave-o” pretenders tried to make during the years 1977 to 1982 with their skinny ties and all, the Smithereens deliver it in 1986; 3) How about a band that combines Beatlesque harmonies with fab instrumental gymnastics like the Who and sound like the entire British Invasion’? That’s the Smithereens; 4) Don Dixon’s pop sensibilities and immense production skills are tailor-made for a band such as this and it shows in the results; 5) The Smithereens hail from New Jersey, that mythical rock ‘n’ roll badlands that has produced such musical stalwarts as Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny, and Little Steven; and 6) I highly recommend Especially For You as a tonic for your blues, a quick pick-me-upper, a miracle cure for boredom, a way to get a date on Saturday night, a rock ‘n’ roll elixir and besides, have I ever steered you wrong?
The Smithereens…either you pick up on ‘em now or feel humiliated and shunned down the road when you hear ‘em all over your radio and you have to borrow a copy of this classic LP from that smarmy, pimple-faced wanker that lives next door. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you… (Enigma Records, released July 1986)
Review originally published by Nashville’s The Metro magazine...
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