I listened to the Smithereens about a week ago and just couldn't get up the strength to write the article. Why? I figured I was in one of my mood swings. So set down their RCA debut A Date with The Smithereens after a first side listen hoping I would come back andbe in better spirits the next go around. After that listen, I was thinking really evil stuff, like the Smithereens should break up and that I've had just too much of a band that needs to change at least a little. The first side was so typical, almost monotonous and bland. But should I expect the band to change so I could say "they sold out?"

Exactly a week later, after a weekend of blended sonic bliss at WODU's College Radio Fest, I sat down to listen again. I started to rewind side one but didn't on another Smithereens cassette.

As I listened to cuts like "Long Way Back Again" and "Gotti," I could feel that my initial earlier thoughts were wrong. Here was a release that was characteristic of the 'Reens yet odd, too. Still on the second, "Sick of Seattle" got one take but I'm going back to it in my spare listening time. The song has acoustic touches and later flares with hooky electrics. The title, at least what I got out of it, should have read "Sick of the press and the industry for overexposing the volatile scene and the nature of laternative music because a lot of it is hype and image plus were talking about people in bands careers here." Then, thinking nothing of my past thoughts, I flipped over the cassette.

AARGHH! Yep, "War For My Mind" is totally watered down 1992 Smithereens. It is still classic, but so radio-friendly. It kind of reminds me of Social Distortion's trek. "Miles From Nowhere" is the first single and is pretty typical of the 'Reens strum, strum, strum, strum, fade, stop, sing, repeat. But they are cool and it sounds like I'm totally dissing them. Nah, I'm just being a little negative toward a pretty good album. The second side does sound odd and cooler than the first side.

Reviewer:  Bonn Garrett, courtesy of Flash Magazine.