The Smithereens
The Smithereens formed in 1980 and the four members go back even
further. Many first heard of them in 1986 with Blood and Roses
but the band were around long before that, young fellow me lad.
The Smithereens hailed from Carteret, New Jersey ("A
Proud Community On The Move", population 28,000 on the
Arthur Kill River) a blue collar suburb also serving as a bedroom
for commuters working in nearby New York City.
As the alt.rock scene began seeping overground in mid-80s
America, The Smithereens were almost alone in championing the
beat-pop of The Kinks, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, and their
crisp, melodic punch seemed almost sedate alongside Hüsker Dü
and The Replacements.
Their 1986 debut album, Especially For You was
hopelessly ahead of its time, while their second LP Green
Thoughts, honed by producer Don Dixon, was a hook-crammed
feast of guitar rock, tempered by narcotic ballads and a
melancholic world view.
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