REVIEW: Smithereens, Blown To Smithereens (Capitol)

- Bob Gajarsky

After nearly 15 years of recording albums, the Smithereens have finally released their first compilation album, Blown To Smithereens.

Take a trip with the Smithereens to the rock and roll of the 1960's without ever feeling old - Blown does just that, veering the listener down the long and winding musical road and capturing lost pieces of the Beatles and the Who that Messrs. McCartney, Lennon, Daltrey and Townshend have long sought after in their solo careers.

But, for those who aren't familiar with the Smithereens - they're not a 60's revival act. Instead, they take the concept originating thirty years ago - rock and roll, guitars, in three minutes - and bring a distinctly modern feel to it.

The opening guitar chords of their classic "Blood and Roses" generates the same reaction from their fans as the opening to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" does to your younger high school brother, while a song like "Yesterday Girl" is the song that "Little Bit of Soul" should have been. Each track is unique, but eminently hummable and appealing to the palate. A cover of the Outsiders "Time Won't Let Me", which appeared in the motion picture Timecop, closes out the collection and brings the listener up to date on the Smithereens path.

The only missing piece of this puzzle is the omission of "White Castle Blues", a bonus track on Especially For You, and one of the band's earliest works. In their homage to the hamburger chain frequented by drunk college fraternities in the early morning hours, the band show that even the topic of Rat Burgers, can catch an eager music fan's ears.

That's just a fan's minor gripe. The liner notes excel in providing a history of the band without nitpicking (we don't need to know how often the band blow their collective noses), and the track selection is thorough and excellent. An outstanding compilation. Track listing: Beauty and Sadness, Strangers When We Meet, Blood And Roses, In A Lonely Place, Behind The Wall of Sleep, Only A Memory, House We Used To Live In, Drown In My Own Tears, A Girl Like You, Blue Period, Blues Before & After, Yesterday Girl, Top of the Pops, Too Much Passion, Miles From Nowhere, Time Won't Let Me