Especially for You (CD - 1986)

Additional personnel: Frank Christian (acoustic guitar); John Rokosny (electric guitar); Kenny Margolis (accordion); Joe Kernich (piano); Jerome Jerome (organ, piano); Don Dixon (piano, percussion, background vocals); Jeffrey Berman (vibraphone); Mark Johnson, Suzanne Vega (background vocals).

Recorded at The Record Plant, New York. Includes liner notes by Dennis Diken.

New Jersey's Smithereens popped up at the tail end of the New Wave era, but arrived just in time for the ascension of alternative rock. In fact,

they were neither; essentially Pat DiNizio and company were

power-poppers with strong 1960s roots (Beatles, Beach Boys, et al).

Ultimately, they brought the style further into the mainstream than any

of their contemporaries, with their initial full-length salvo ESPECIALLY

FOR YOU making a big splash via the hits "Blood and Roses" and "Behind the Wall of Sleep." The Smithereens' sound was also brawnier and more working-class than most of their contemporaries (they later confessed to being influenced by Black Sabbath's guitar sound), and this may have had a great deal to do with their success. It also didn't hurt that singer/songwriter/guitarist DiNizio had a seemingly limitless knack for churning out infectious pop gems that sounded like they'd been around forever. Delivered in DiNizio's strong, deep voice, the songs on ESPECIALLY FOR YOU suggest nothing so much as an '80s Badfinger fronted by a less pretentious Jim Morrison. minimize