I Used to Travel in the Shadows

The Smithereens have a new EP that slipped into the iTunes Store this week, MTV Unplugged. There is very little information as to exactly when this was, etc. But hey, we're Smithereens fans so it's all good.

The EP includes A Girl Like You, Behind the Wall of Sleep, Blood and Roses and a medley of Cupid/Chain Gang.

I haven't heard the tracks yet, but I'm certainly intrigued to hear these songs, er, unplugged.

You Don't Look At Things The Same As Me

The Smithereens first album of new material in over 11 years is due out April 5, 2011! The album's timely name is "Smithereens 2011", an homage to their hit album "11".

The first single, "Sorry", is now available on iTunes. You can also stream it for free at Spinner.

Sorry is classic Smithereens and makes me actually look forward to the album. Let's face it - the last couple of albums were not that great. Over in iTunes you can stream snippets of the rest of the songs on the album and I'm highly optimistic from what I've heard so far.

Pre-order Smithereens 2011 from iTunes

I'm Still Enchanted by Your Funny Ways

Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens has an incredible offer for those of you in New Jersey: lessons in songwriting, singing, and guitar! Unreal. Get all the details here.

Also, catch up on the latest Smithereens and DiNizio tour dates - including several living room performances - at TheirSpace. Rock on.

My Passion Runs Deeper

Matthew Sweet and The Smithereens performing at the same gig?! Who's been sneaking a peek at my dreams?

Taste of Naperville, activities for children, the Naper Days Express train, music from The Smithereens and Matthew Sweet. Admission: $5; children 8 and under are free. Concert tickets are available at www.naperdays.org. After 6 p.m. on June 20 and 21, tickets are $10 at the gate.

Naperville is in Illinois in case you didn't know. I lived there once upon a time. A bit too suburban for my tastes, but if this is really a "Taste of Naperville" then I may have been wrong.

Always Has a Replay

On May 5, The Smithereens continue their long avoidance to releasing new original material with The Smithereens Play Tommy, a tribute to the classic Who album that turns 40 this year.

The Smithereens decided to make a proper, all-out studio version of one of the albums that inspired their rock dreams of becoming a band in the first place for this 40th anniversary tribute. The Who's unique sound will never be duplicated, but then again neither will The Smithereens' sound that has made them enduring rock icons over the past 25 plus years. The result is part Who, part Smithereens. Part totally familiar, and part unexpectedly unique... and 100% tour de force. The Smithereens' "musical dreams ain't quite what they seem" -- the result is more than a loving tribute and much more like an inspired re-imagining. After listening to this album a few times, you may never hear any of The Who's versions of Tommy the same way again.

Oh, and they promise a new original album later this year - after they release their re-imagining of More of the Monkees and an acoustic remixed live version of their Meet the Smithereens Beatles tribute.

I kid. I kid.

Wondering Where You've Been

The Smithereens sent around an update via TheirSpace detailing upcoming projects. Wow!

JANUARY 27TH, 2009
SMITHEREENS LIVE IN CONCERT - Full-Length Concert DVD (KOCH)
This is the live video counterpart (A 5-camera shoot) to our recently-released CD The Smithereens Live in Concert, which was recorded at our old stomping grounds, The Court Tavern, in New Brunswick, NJ.

MEET THE SMITHEREENS/B-SIDES THE BEATLES - 12" Audiophile Vinyl 2-Disc Gatefold Deluxe LPs Release (KOCH)
This is both of our two recent BEATLES TRIBUTE CDs in 12" Audiophile Vinyl packaged together in one collectible fold out/gatefold sleeve/package, and there is also talk that comic legend Jack Davis (MAD MAGAZINE & EVERYTHING ELSE!) might be personally signing/autographing the "B-SIDES" cover he did for us.

MARCH 24TH, 2009
A brand-new Smithereens original album/CD (the first all-new original compositions/recordings studio CD in 10 years!) (KOCH) This is being written in now and will be recorded in New Jersey in December 2008.

MAY 5TH, 2009
THE SMITHEREENS DO "TOMMY" (KOCH)
This is our take/interpretation of one of our favorite albums by one of our favorite bands ever, The Who, in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of its original release in 1969. We are doing a one-disc abbreviated "Live At Leeds"-styled version of "Tommy.

Regarding the new studio album, it's about f-ing time! Enough with the tributes and live albums - well, keep 'em coming as long as they don't interfere with new stupid albums!

I've Got to Find a Way to Let You Know I'm Not Like Them

This one seems to have snuck up on us. The Smithereens today released a follow-up to their 2007 Beatles Tribute, Meet The Smithereens, with B-Sides The Beatles. Wow, original title. Original concept. C'mon guys! We want some new material. Blow us away like you did with 11, Green Thoughts, Especially For You, hell, even Blow Up.

UPDATE (by 2poppy): Agreed - we need new material. Nonetheless, a little digging turned up this interesting factoid about B-Sides The Beatles:

Andy White, who in 1962 played drums on The Beatles' original version of "P.S. I Love You," reprises his role as surrogate stickman for The Smithereens in 2008...

"B-Sides The Beatles" also includes fantastic in-depth liner notes by Beatles author/historian Bruce Spizer, as well as "Beatle" Tommy Frangione (Joe Johnson's Beatle Brunch), and the Smithereens' own Dennis Diken.

You can buy the CD version at Amazon.com or an autographed CD version while supplies last at (where else?) NewburyComics.com.

RELATED (by 2poppy): According to TheirSpace, Smithereens leader Pat DiNizio is again hosting a very intimate concert series at his own house in New Jersey for the lucky first 30 fans to buy the $100 tix for one of three performances 10/17-19. Email Pat for more details on how to purchase tix. Very cool.

Where I Felt I Could Always Go

The Smithereens' Live in Concert! Greatest Hits and More chronicles a fairly recent performance at their "home" venue of the Court Tavern in New Jersey. I bet House We Used to Live In is killer!

It is now available via Amazon - haven't seen it pop up yet on iTunes.

Review
Previously...

Broken Bits of You and Me

The Smithereens have announced a live album:

"Live In Concert - Greatest Hits and More" features music from The Smithereens' four-night stint at The Court in New Brunswick, New Jersey, a musical home away from home for the group, which took place January 30th - February 2nd, 2008. The band, all hailing from surrounding Central Jersey towns, played the Court Tavern often at the start of their career.

If anything, The Smithereens have always been a stellar live band. I've seen them a couple times and they still remain near the top of the list - it's always a fun show. It'll be interesting to see if their energy translates to a recording.

Tracklist includes a couple new songs and a cover of a Buddy Holly tune:

1. Wall of Sleep
2. Drown in My Own Tears
3. Miles from Nowhere
4. Room Without a View
5. Only a Memory
6. House We Used to Live In
7. Spellbound
8. Since You Went Away
9. She's Got a Way
10. Yesterday Girl
11. Well Alright
12. Especially For You
13. Any Other Way
14. Top of the Pops
15. Time and Time Again
16. Blood And Roses
17. A Girl Like You
18. Batman

And yes, that is a cover of the Batman theme. The album is available May 27.

Christmas Time Is Here Again

The Smithereens have released a Christmas album because, well, they can.

"THE SMITHEREENS set out to re-invent the Christmas album and turn the genre completely upside down with this record," says Pat Dinizio, the band's lead vocalist and principle songwriter. "We made a real Smithereens rock & roll record that stands on its own, yet somehow channels the ghost of Christmas past, and in the process, also pays tribute to and reinvents some of our absolute all-time favorite rock & roll Christmas records. I don't think it's been done quite this way before, and hopefully it's an album you wouldn't mind listening to the other 11 months of the year."

Here's the tracklist:

1. WAKING UP ON CHRISTMAS MORNING Smithereens original, written by Jim Babjak
2. SANTA BRING MY BABY BACK (TO ME) Elvis Presley
3. MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY The Beach Boys
4. ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE inspired by Bill Haley
5. CHRISTMAS TIME ALL OVER THE WORLD Smithereens original, a Christmas remake of "All Revved Up"
6. CHRISTMAS The Who (from "Tommy")
7. 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS inspired by Art Carney
8. RUN RUDOLPH RUN Chuck Berry
9. MERRY CHRISTMAS (I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT TONIGHT) The Ramones
10. CHRISTMAS (I REMEMBER) original, written by Dennis Diken
11. AULD LANG SYNE inspired by The Ventures and Dick Dale
12. CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE AGAIN The Beatles

Read more here. Download Christmas with the Smithereens here. Sample tracks at TheirSpace. Visit their website here. Evidently, according to iTunes, this album was originally released in 1994. News to me, and I'm a big Smithereens fan. Guess I'm just about 13 years late on this one.

In related news, the distinctive voice of the Smithereens, Pat Dinizio, has released another solo album.

Download the self-titled release here. Buy it from Amazon.com here. Sample tracks at HisSpace. Visit his website here.

I've Just Got to Find a Way to Let You Know I'm Not Like Them

In stores today is the track-by-track, note-by-frickin'-note tribute to Meet the Beatles! by the Smithereens. It's appropriately titled Meet the Smithereens! Now you can preview a few tracks here. Look, I love both bands and it's a cool idea (particularly from the Beatle-lovin' musicians' points of view), but I can't help scratch my head and say, "really?" By calling it Meet the Smithereens!, aren't they implying that this is a good introduction to the band that has been around over 20 years? I haven't heard the whole album, but honestly, the best introduction to the Smithereens would be Especially For You, their outstanding full-length debut, or one of their biggest commercial successes 11. I appreciate the nostalgia and the novelty of one of my favorite bands covering a full album of another of my favorite bands, but in the end, it just seems completely unnecessary. Allmusic does an excellent job of summing up my feelings. I would've preferred a new album of original material, which hopefully is in the works.

Meet the Smithereens! @ iTunes
Meet the Smithereens! @ Amazon

Previously... and ...

Oh Yeah, I'll Tell You Something

The Chicago Sun-Times has a great interview with Smithereens leader Pat DiNizio about their upcoming album Meet the Smithereens, a song-by-song tribute to Meet the Beatles. The album is due out a week from today.

Previously...

You're Back Again

The Smithereens are back. In January, they will release Meet The Smithereens!, a song-by-song tribute to The Beatles' Meet the Beatles! You could always tell by the music of The Smithereens that they were big fans of The Beatles, particularly of their early years. This should be fun.