ALBUM OF THE WEEK #170 THE SMITHEREENS - GREEN THOUGHTS (1988 - 25TH ANNIVERSARY)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: The Smithereens

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: United States

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No

Album: Green Thoughts

Released: March 16, 1988

Producer: Don Dixon

Best Single: Drown In My Own Tears

Best Album Cut: The World We Know

Hidden Gems: House We Used To Live In/The World We Know/Especially For You/Drown In My Own Tears/Elaine/Spellbound/Green Thoughts

Filler: Something New/Deep Black/If The Sun Doesn't Shine

Disclaimer:  All "facts" come from Wikipedia unless otherwise noted.

It's First Friday again, so time for another anniversary album.  Instead of '93 ('cause I'm really tired of that year and I really don't have much music from '93), I'm moving in reverse to 1988.  This band is a personal favorite of mine (and Scott's too).  It's The Smithereens with Green Thoughts, their sophomore album.  

• Only A Memory cracked the Billboard Hot 100 at #92 and was also a number one hit on the Album Rock Tracks chart (whatever that is).
• If that background voice sounds familiar on The World We Know, that would be Del Shannon.
• Steve Berlin of Los Lobos performs the sax solo on Especially For You.
• The album was recorded and mixed in 16 days (per officialsmithereens.com).

Like I said, I'm a big fan of The Smithereens.  It's outstanding Power Pop.  Pat Dinizio is a fantastic songwriter and the band members are not slouches at their respective instruments.  

Track Listing (Singles Marked With An Asterisk)

1. Only A Memory*

2. House We Used To Live In*

3. Something New

4. The World We Know

5. Especially For You

6. Drown In My Own Tears*

7. Deep Black

8. Elaine

9. Spellbound

10. If The Sun Doesn't Shine

11. Green Thoughts

[Jon]

So let me get this straight:

1) Last week was the awesome "Cyclorama" from the new & much improved Styx.

2) This week is something from the spectacular Smithereens?

Can life get any better????

[RJhog (Admin)]

No sir.

[Scott]

[Jon]

That's a funny movie. Plus, she can vomit on me anytime.

[Gordon Williams]

So, I've heard the name Smithereens many times, but don't recall ever hearing anything by them. About 30 seconds into the first song, I'm thinking "this reminds me of another band"....could n't place it at first, but then it came to me...reminds me a lot of R.E.M....which is a band I've never gotten into that much, even though I'm a Georgia boy. Have heard some R.E.M. on the radio here and there.

But honestly, for me, this is...well, bland sounds more negative than I want, but it just does not "move me" in anyway. It's not bad, by any means, but it's not good enough to want to hear this again.

"The World We Know" and "Drown In My Own Tears" were the best tracks for me, and "If The Sun Does n't Shine" is a nice, melodic track. But, for me, music I like really gives me a "burst of energy", and I'm not getting that here.

I listened before I posted, so it appears the best songs for me are also favorites of RJHog. I think this release could have benefited from some "sound changes". Like an occasional different guitar tone, perhaps? Glad to have heard this, but I don't see checking this out again.

[Jon]

I really like this. Outside of the 3 singles, "The World We Know" and "Spellbound" are really good tracks. I don't have this alvum, but should probably pick it up if I like it? Used to hate these guys when they first started (have I said this before?), probably because they were all over the radio. They have some killer deep cuts on their albums.

2 weeks in a row of pure awesomeness! This is just going to lead to a month or so of total failure so I'll cherish this last two weeks.  

[Scott]

UNCLE!!!!

[Jon]

Kracker? WHY???!!!!

[Scott]

I think the 3rd entry on this "release" said it best ... "Its time for something new"

[Jon]

Ok. Death Metal it is!!

[Jon]

COMING SOON, PER SCOTT'S WISH:

[RJhog (Admin)]

I absolutely knew you would say that.