The Smithereens – Blow Up

Not quite as good (great) as '11', but it's still really good. Side 2 is nearly the equal of Side 1 even though it has the hits. I'm surprised at how nice this pressing sounds, very quiet and flat.

Once again, The Smithereens bring a fine taste of their musical talents for Rock n’ Roll. It is beyond me that this stellar group have remained as legendary cult figures, whispered about by fans, shouted about by musicians, and nearly ignored by the musical public at large.

Their playing is flawless, the intermixing of styles and interweaving of textures and sounds is far and above anything you will hear on commercial radio. For this group Rock N’ Roll is a musical life style, not a Rock N’ Roll life style of excess, unless you are talking about excessively brilliant music ... and on that note they have no equal.

Just sample “Top Of The Pops,” “Too Much Passion,” or “Girl In Room 12” to understand what I’m talking about. You will be lucky enough, almost anytime you want, to see The Smithereens at a very small venue ... they are not to be missed.

Review by Jenell Kesler