Customer Reviews

Smithereens 11

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't like to bore people with long monologues for reviews, so I'll cut to the chase. This is such a great album. Great songs, great production, confessional lyrics; Dinizio and gang turned out a great album here. This will always be one of my all-time faves. Although some may beg to differ and side with the earlier stuff, this disc epitomizes all that and cranks up the volume. Check it out.

Ranks with REM's "Green" and Hoodoo Gurus "Mars Needs Guitars" among must haves for any pop-rock fan. Very derivitive of the Kinks and Beatles, Pat Dinizio's songs go beyond the label of retro-tunester (and the album gets better every time I listen to it). Along with "Especially For You" and "Green Thoughts", the Smithereens 11 will continue to stand the test of time.

I admit I did get this for only 2 songs, but the whole thing is much better than I expected, and I'm suprised they weren't better known. The sound is 1989 alt-pop-rock, and it's some of the best I've heard. This includes the huge hit "A Girl Like You", and the minor ones "Blues Before And After", and the catchy "Yesterday Girl". "Blue Period" with "Belinda Carlisle" is also pretty good. If you enjoy the sounds of "Elvis Costello" or "Urge Overkill", check this album out. They also have a "Best Of".

By 1990, my musical tastes were finally evolving beyond light rock and euro-synth-pop. While I had shunned rock in the past, certain artists were gaining my interest with their awesome orchestrations and lyrics. One such group was The Smithereens. Songs from their 1989 release 11 were hitting MTV in late '89 and early '90, and I was immediately hooked. Growing tired of my first-year college angst, The Smithereens provided a dose of reality and attitude I was needing. Still today, these songs are powerful and full of positive energy and attitude that give me a cold splash of water in the face and make me take back control of my life.

The release starts off on a rockin' note with their first single from 11, "A Girl Like You." The guitar and drum driven tune combined with awesome lyrics and harmonies make this a great rock attitude anthem. Another single, "Blues Before and After" is another awesome drum and guitar drivin' rock anthem. Slowing down to a simple strum on the guitar, "Blue Period" is a bit more solemn and reflective, though it does has a slight upbeat 60s feel to it. And, hey, there's Belinda Carlisle singing the harmony! Back to the rock theme, "Baby Be Good" begs one's lover to be good while one is away. The harmonies and minor harmonics in the orchestration are very cool, and the chorus vocal hooks are addictive. "Room Without a View" focuses on worthlessness of focussing and reflecting so intently on the past. Again, one of the big fun features is the vocal harmonies in the refrain that are great to sing along with. Kind of along the same beat as "A Girl Like You" but a tad more mellow with a swayin' 60s feel, "Yesterday Girl" is a fun romp, though the lyrics are more about standing still. "Cut Flowers" takes a more plaintive turn, pleading to give those simple things to the one you love before they're gone. Unfortunately, I'm completely lost on the reference, so I'm not sure exactly what "William Wilson" is about, though the lyrics do touch on how life used to be simple before meeting this person. "Maria Elena" is a bit more simple in it's profession of love for Maria Elena. The tune takes a slight country turn orchestrally, however it is only very slight. However, the closing tune, "Kiss Your Tears Away" takes a stronger country rock turn, however the harmonies in the refrain pull it back to an almost Toad the Wet Sprocket sound.

Overall, I give 11 a strong 5 star rating and place it in my top 50 releases of all time. The attitude and rockin' feel (especially in the first 6 songs) really do my attitude some good any time I listen. This is one of those releases where the songs were so good and stuck with me and meant so much to me personally, I haven't been able to bring myself to purchase any other Smithereens releases. For me, this release is perfect, and I don't want to have anything else that might mar my love and appreciation for this release and artist.

As a recommendation, you really have to like well-produced guitar and drum driven pop tunes. The vocals are serious and reflective, however the tunes are definite fun and attitude driven. I'm not quite sure who to compare them to, since this style is a bit divergent in my average music listening style and taste. Let's just say that if you liked upbeat and positive late 80s and early 90s music, get 11 - it's a definite classic that will be sure to satisfy, especially for those who need a good old-fashioned attitude adjustment.

At one time I knew what the title 11 referred to, but I have long since forgotten. However, I will not soon forget the music and attitude the Smithereens introduced to me with this release. Most definitely, this "Baby Be Good."

My brother got me into the Smithereens years ago, and this is still my favorite album. It has a great mix of rock and soft tunes. exellent even 15 years later

I bought this CD off a clearance rack in the Bay Area because it had a song I remember that was played on the radio quite a bit a few years ago (that would be the song A Girl Like You). I was suspecting the rest of the CD to be filler songs, but was very suprised when they all turned out to be well written and performed. Two of the songs owe a great deal to the Beatles, but I'll let the listener figure out which two. Overall a very good CD.

The Smithereens continued their winning streak on their third album, 11, and here they would find their greatest commercial success. The opening track "A Girl Like You" grabs you from the get go with its catchy lyric and hook as well as a harder sound that was in vogue in 1989. This would be the band's first really big hit and remains one of their most enduring tunes along with "Blood and Roses" and "Behind the Wall of Sleep". "Blues Before and After" continues in a harder vein and would also be a chart single. The beauty of their earlier and classic albums is still intact as evidenced on the melancholy tracks "Blue Period" and "Cut Flowers" and the well crafted pop songs that are "Baby Be Good" and "Yesterday Girl". The track "Room Without a View" is also very soild and is still used as a showcase for drummer Dennis Diken when the band plays live. The remaining songs such as the Beatlesque "Kiss Your Tears Away" are also very good. While not great all the way through like the Especially for You and Green Thoughts albums were, 11 is a strong album and certainly worth downloading (the original CD is sadly out of print).

Excellent transaction and CD. I lost touch with this music in the Cassette Cd revolution, but a must have for all!

I have owned this CD since 1989 on it's release. A friend of mine introduced me to "A girl like you" and from that point on, I was hooked. Funny thing is, after 20 years, I finally ripped the CD to my MP3 player and now I'm listening to it over and over. There are a few songs that are very close in sound, such as "A girl like you" and "Blues before and after", but both have clever words that don't rely on lame repetition or annoying bridge segments that change the sound of the song. There just isn't much music writing like this that goes on any more. By far, one of my favorite songs is "Blue period", and I just found out from the sleeve insert that Belinda Carlisle was the backing vocal on it - I had always wondered. Oh, and don't miss "William Wilson" or "Yesterday Girl", both a little lighter on the guitar riffs and heavier on the vocal prowess of Pat DiNizio, who is fantastic! What a great CD - since you can get it used for a penny, I'd jump at the chance! It is a little short, I just wish there were five more tracks on it.

These ARE in your face rockers.."Girl Like You"'s sweepin em home with it's perfect anthem guitar playing and complementary female vocals."Yesterday Girl" makes you swoon baby..All ot good rock songs and tender ballads make this a winner.