Customer Reviews

Late Music

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... oh come on, you know the rest .... short version is "out comes Dennis Diken".

The walking pop-music-encyclopedia (he wrote some of the best liner notes for his band, the Smithereens, and many others) delivers a top-notch solo effort. While there's only a touch of the patented ringing guitar sound of the Smithereens, the spotlight on DD's vocals makes this one a treasure that should be heard beyond the valley of the 'Reens fans. There's a surprisingly strong leaning toward '60's California vocal sound (think Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Four Freshmenn, etc) with a modern production sound to keep things sounding original rather than derivative.

Diken's partner, multi-instrumentalist Pete DiBella is a veteran of the NJ music scene, known for his local band DuoPhonic. Their combined pop-sensibilities blend delightfully.

Absolutely recommended listening.

As the drummer for the Smithereens, Dennis Diken's taken both a figurative and literal backseat to the songwriting and singing of Pat DiNizio. But Diken's a drummer with a lot of melody in him, as his first solo album so amply shows. Paired with multi-instrumentalist Pete DiBella, Diken not only keeps time but sings most of the leads and backgrounds and co-wrote all thirteen of these throwback pop tunes. Diken draws from the same mid-60s millieu as DiNizio's Beatle-esque songs for the Smithereens, but he leans more heavily on the mod sounds of the Creation and the Who, the pre-orchestral Moody Blues, the California beach sounds of Gary Usher, the harmonies of the Beach Boys, Raspberries, and Association, and the studio production of Brian Wilson.

The Brian Wilson motifs are particularly striking on the questioning "Standing in Line," which could pass for a long-lost Pet Sounds outtake were it not an original composition. The pleading "Fall Into Your Arms" and alluring "Temptation Cake" further echo the Beach Boys, but also the jazz harmonies from which Brian Wilson drew inspiration. Diken takes inspiration from the Who's "Bucket T" with the full-kit drumming and power harmonies of "Long Lonely Ride," and the insistent bass and slashing guitar chords of "The Sun's Gonna Shine in the Morning" are pure UK freakbeat. Diken and DiBella offer up the good time vibe of the Lovin' Spoonful, by way of Vince Guaraldi's "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," on "Let Your Loved One Sleep" and they dabble in breezy Brazilian easy listening on "Lost Bird."

The ballads seem more modern on the surface, but are laced with vintage totems of mellotron, electric sitar, French horn, harpsichord, and a variety of electric pianos and organs, suggesting long-lost album tracks by the Electric Prunes. Guest appearances by Andy Paley, Jason Falkner, members of Brian Wilson's backing band, the Wondermints, and Wilson's one time side project, the Honeys, are complemented by lesser-known (but no less talented) figures of the retro pop scene, including one-time Optic Nerve keyboardist Dave Amels, producer/musician Andrew Sandoval, and Los Angeles drummer Nelson Bragg. That Diken can sing is no shock to Smithereens fans, but the completeness of his vision as a singer, songwriter and bandleader is a welcome surprise. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

I DJ a show that spotlights Indie musicians and their music. And, I've listened to Late Music Over and Over again.

This Album is THE BEST RECORD OF 2009.

Some bands that I hear when listening to this great record are
The Stone Roses (YES! THE STONE ROSES...and, I'm not the only one that hears it!), The Lovin Spoonful, Shocking Blue, The Zombies, The WHO, The Monkees, Paul Revere and the Raiders and many others, but, what I'm saying here is that I really enjoy this record and it ranks right in there with these other bands I've mentioned.

If you like/love music from the 1960s and 1970s, with great harmonies and vocals and music....this record is it for you. You dont need to sit listening to the Classic Rock Station and hear 'Suite Judy Blue Eyes' for the 5,842,204th time.

Get the LATE MUSIC Disc and enjoy it from the 1st song to the last.

I'm not the only one giving this record a big thumbs up - MANY people are.

"Yes, IT'S THAT GOOD!"

Thanks for Reading.

I'm a big fan of classic rock but I hate calling it that, converting the spontaneity and exuberance of youth to museum pieces, which they ain't. What began with Elvis and the Beatles and the Stones and Kinks and Beach Boys and Buddy Holly is still with us in new and old bands, in albums that offer a new take on familiar territory.

I'm also a fan of the Smithereens. Hence, I had preordered Dennis Diken's LATE MUSIC from Amazon a while ago and was thrilled when it arrived last Thursday. Since then, it has played many times at my desk and in my car. My first observation is that this is the album from someone who loves music. (That might seem obvious, but take a look at the top ten. Any music lovers there? Any music there? No, just mostly product.)

And the music that these musicians love is not just any music, but music of the 1960's, pop bands, rock'n'roll, songs that might've been heard on 45 RPM singles. The songs on this album simultaneously sound original and yet comfortably familiar, calling you to sing along on the first listening. And this album's meticulous full production that doesn't suck the life out of the performances. Those 45's didn't sound this good.

In my car, I was caught right from the Tommy-like opening power chords that opened the first song, "The Sun's Gonna Shine in the Morning". With vocals that put me in mind of "I Can See for Miles" and the kick-ass base line that recall Entwistle's near-leads, I was ready and waiting to hear Dennis finally break loose on the drums, which he does.

The second track, "Standing in that Line", moves on to the Beach Boys sound, with layers of vocal harmony and instrumentation. But am I wrong to think that the name of the song suggests the Kinks?

The drums bust out completely on "Long Lonely Ride", something this rocker calls for. (It also features great fade out!)

The guitar line and verse of "I've Been Away" reminds me a little of the Smithereen's first EP "Beauty and Sadness", a nice touch, but this hint is as close as the album come to that Smithereens sound.

I simply loved "So Hard to Say Goodbye". Catchy melody and great harmonies with a middle 8 that teases me back to the hook. (Does my love of pure pop show? I'm still waiting for a CD re-release of Nick Lowe's "Labour of Lust". Is someone out there listening?!)

"Bad Merry Go Round" I love this sort of dark song, the sort of thing that might have been penned by Dave Davies or John Entwistle.

"Don't Let Me Sleep Too Long" reminded me of the Zombies. And so many of my favorite Kinks songs have these sorts of echoing chords, and vocal breaks ("Sleepless Nights", "So Tired") Another great song.

Although I might not have any brilliant observations (and perhaps a few stupid ones), LATE MUSIC is a great listen that I will share, and one that was worth the wait. But don't make me wait too long for the next one.

This has to be one of the best 60s style pop releases of the decade. The first time I heard The Sun's Gonne Shine in the Morning, I think the tune instantly embedded itself in my DNA. I literally sing this tune in my head all day and sometimes during the night. The entire CD is in my opinion the kind of CD I always dreamed on making. I like the Smithereends to death but Dennis Diken seems to have gone over the top with this one. Where's the next one Dennis? I know there's more to come.

If you know Dennis Diken's work as drummer with the Smithereens, you may expect his first solo effort to be a powerful, pounding collection of hard rockin' tunes. Instead, you'll hear a recording that is simultaneously a tribute to that subset of sixties rock that featured beautiful vocal harmonies (Beachboys and the Association come to mind), a collection of tuneful and well-written songs, and something timeless and otherwordly, as all great art should be.