The
Smithereens - B-Sides The Beatles (Kochrecords.com)
The Smithereens have been a really busy band
lately. Last year they released their first
Beatles tribute album, "Meet the Smithereens,"
which was a song-by-song cover of the Beatles'
first album released in America, "Meet
the Beatles (cool, bobble-head figures of
The Smithereens on the cover, which is a
tribute to The Beatles' multi-gazillion dollar
merchandising campaign). They also released
"Christmas With The Smithereens,"
which was a great collection of classic Christmas
covers. This year they’ve been doing
more shows, recording a live album back where
it all began at The Court Tavern in New Brunswick.
It was a back to the future album where the
Smithereens used their magical mojo, playing
songs from their past, present, and future
(they included two new songs.)
Now, they've released something new (no,
it's not The Beatles' "Something New"
album, although that would be cool too). On
"B-Sides The Beatles" The Smithereens
again come up with a mad, as in Mad Magazine,
cover concept. Jack Davis (check Dennis Dikens'
tribute in the liner notes) - famous for his
artwork in "Mad" - created caricature
of Dennis, Jim, Pat, and Severo that are really
cool. Also, check out the back cover. Two
of the band (I think) are dressed in 60's
Beatles style striped suits holding guitars
with full-face Beatles' masks. It looks like
Paul and John. Strange, but awesome!
Besides Jack Davis, they also asked Andy
White to be the stickman for "P.S. I
Love You." Andy was the original drummer
on the session with The Beatles replacing
Ringo (he played the tambourine) for just
that one song. I don't know where they come
up with all these great ideas but, man, keep
'em comin' guys!
Ok, with all that buildup I'm sure you're
wondering about the music! Well, in short,
it's ALL KILLER, NO FILLER!! This, and the
last two Smithereens albums (there's also
talk about covering Cream's legendary "Wheels
of Fire" album), are not contractual
obligations, or throwaways. They're fun, masterful
recordings with the band wearing-their-hearts-on-their-sleeves,
paying tribute to one of their major influences.
And yes, all of these songs were B-sides on
Beatles singles back in the 60’s.
The album opens with a potboiler, "Thank
You Girl," which like the rest of the
album showcases The Smithereens' masterful
channeling of The Beatles. What's still kind
of hard to get my head around are Pat Dinizio's
vocals on songs like "P.S. I Love You"
or ""Thank You Girl," (which
are so on the money.) I mean, Pat is THE MASTER
of heartbreak! On Smithereens songs like "House
We Use To Live In" and "Behind the
Wall of Sleep," Dinizio created some
very memorable songs about unrequited love
and sheer heartbreak, all over some the most
hardest pop/rock/punk melodies ever.
But I digress, as my son Steve would say.
This is a terrific album! The 12 songs are
mostly from the early part of their career
(do I smell a "B-Sides The Beatles 2?"
How cool would it be having The Smithereens
cover "You Know My Name, Look Up The
Number??!!") They also cover songs The
Beatles' covered, like the Larry Williams'
barnburner, "Slow Down." Besides
Pat, guitarist Jim Babjak ("Happy Just
to Dance With You," "Some Other
Guy") and drummer Dennis Diken ("Slow
Down") supply lead vocals, making this
album flexible and fun!
After 28 years, The Smithereens still love
to visit their influences. They also reinvent
and revitalize themselves, and us in the process.
I'm thinking that these cover albums and the
forthcoming live album are going to add up
to a new studio album of originals that will
finally bring out all the wicked cool energy
they’ve been gathering! - Phil Rainone
CD Reviews 
