Especially For You Iowa

Especially For You

The Smithereens

Capitol Records, 1986

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 04/14/1998

It's been some time since Pat DiNizio and the Smithereens gracedthe pages of "The Daily Vault," so I decided to dig back into theircatalog a bit. Into the Pierce Archives (Bill Wirtz, go to hell -and take the team formerly known as the Blackhawks with you) Iwent, and out I came with the CD reissue of their first full-lengthdisc, Especially For You.

Produced by Don Dixon, this album features a band whose youthand hunger were clearly evident in the songs - unfortunately, theirinexperience also comes through crystal clear.

Borrowing a sound from both the Beatles and the Byrds courtesyof the 12-string Rickenbackers, DiNizio, lead guitarist Jim Babjak,bassist Mike Mesaros and drummer Dennis Diken subscribed to thethree-minute school of songwriting: Say what you have to in threeminutes, throw in a small guitar solo, and get the hell out.

Problem is, some of these songs needed a little more musicaldevelopment to allow the listener to build up a good head of steam."Blood And Roses" is a track that benefitted from such adevelopment; the highlight of the album still shines bright, 12years after this album originally came out. "In A Lonely Place"benefits from the guest vocals of one Suzanne Vega, while Dixonadds piano and keyboards throughout the album. (There are manyother guests, but you can read the CD booklet to find out who theyare - provided, of course, you can lay your hands on a copy.)