ALBUM: ‘Especially for You’
MVC RATING: 4.5/$$$
What do you do when you cross Elvis Costello with a group of New Jersey rockers promising to blast everything to Smithereens Well that’s what you get: the Smithereens, who started with a bang with this album.
I’ll stipulate the entire debut is good music, good on the ears with British invasion la la choruses and wall of sound guitar chording. Sadly, they never again quite caught the wave that was 1986.
On this first album, ‘Blood and Roses’ and ‘Wall of Sleep are among the best examples of their style with guitarist and vocalist Pat DeNizio setting the tone literally with his voice.