Published on Apr 14, 1998
It’s been some time since Pat DiNizio and the Smithereens graced
the pages of “The Daily Vault,” so I decided to dig back into their
catalog a bit. Into the Pierce Archives (Bill Wirtz, go to hell –
and take the team formerly known as the Blackhawks with you) I
went, and out I came with the CD reissue of their first full-length
disc,
Especially For You.
Produced by Don Dixon, this album features a band whose youth
and hunger were clearly evident in the songs – unfortunately, their
inexperience also comes through crystal clear.
Borrowing a sound from both the Beatles and the Byrds courtesy
of the 12-string Rickenbackers, DiNizio, lead guitarist Jim Babjak,
bassist Mike Mesaros and drummer Dennis Diken subscribed to the
three-minute school of songwriting: Say what you have to in three
minutes, throw in a small guitar solo, and get the hell out.
Problem is, some of these songs needed a little more musical
development to allow the listener to build up a good head of steam.
“Blood And Roses” is a track that benefitted from such a
development; the highlight of the album still shines bright, 12
years after this album originally came out. “In A Lonely Place”
benefits from the guest vocals of one Suzanne Vega, while Dixon
adds piano and keyboards throughout the album. (There are many
other guests, but you can read the CD booklet to find out who they
are – provided, of course, you can lay your hands on a copy.)
But
Especially For You shows that the Smithereens were still
very much a band in development, and they had not quite reached
their musical maturity. “Listen To Me Girl” and “Cigarette” just
don’t seem to work, while others (“Crazy Mixed-Up Kid,” “I Don’t
Want To Lose You”, “Alone At Midnight”), while enjoyable to listen
to, don’t hold their own against the band’s stronger works. Even
one of their early hits, “Behind the Wall Of Sleep,” pales a bit
with age.
The two “bonus” tracks included on the CD reissue are scarred
gems. “White Castle Blues,” a song never meant to be high-caliber
material, is fun to listen to. (Not only that, but it does make me
a bit hungry.) The other song, “Mr. Eliminator,” shows the band’s
debt to Dick Dale; it doesn’t live up to Dale’s version, but it is
enjoyable.
Long-time fans of the Smithereens, of course, will want to snag
this disc to round out their collections. For the rest of us,
Especially For You is a hit-or-miss album, and is not
essential owning.