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The Smithereens - Tommy Audio CD

A fair review of the The Smithereens "Tommy" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Smithereens reviews here, or go back to the The Smithereens tabs.

The Smithereens Band: The Smithereens
Title: Tommy
Rating:
Release Date: 2009-05-05
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Overture 2: It's a Boy 3: Amazing Journey 4: Sparks 5: Eyesight to the Blind 6: Christmas 7: Acid Queen 8: Pinball Wizard 9: Go to the Mirror 10: Tommy, Can You Hear Me? 11: Sensation 12: I'm Free 13: We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me Feel Me

GOD BLESS THE SMITHEREENS!!!!
It's simply Terrific! If you love The Who and you Love The Smithereens, this album is a MUST HAVE!!!!!.


the smithereens play -tommy very well!!!
anyway fast forward to 2009 and the smithereens have done a great job re doing some of the best cuts from tommy!!i hope the smithereens do another tribute to the beatles doing their later years psychedelic stuff from revolver,sgt peppers the white album and abbey road! that would be great also!grab this cd!!!. the smithereens show their love for thier influences on this great tribute to the who,s tommy which by the way will have it,s 40th anniversary this year, the who released tommy in 1969 which was a great year for rock music! many great bands released some of thier finest work that year.


A new dynamic! Superb!

But I went to the listening station and was intrigued; a comparison between the parts I could hear of The Smithereen's version of Amazing Journey vs. Wow, when I saw this CD today in a store, I thought "oh no, what IS this?"; for fear of The Smithereens, now seemingly a cover band, doing awful versions of Who songs as they did with the Beatles'. The Who's showed that The Who's acoustic guitar and piano on there couldn't match up to the sound of just pure electric, rock guitars.
The vocals are surprisingly well-fitting, with the sole exception of Pinball Wizard; while Diken sings fine on Sensation (almost sounding like Townshend himself there), on Pinball Wizard the combination of his vocals, with Dinizio and Babjak's (who is a surprisingly good singer; his vocals in fact fit much better than Dinizio's; just listen to Pat's vocals near the end of It's A Boy and you'll see it doesn't really fit; too deep) -- the vocals on Pinball Wizard just don't work well.

But for the most part this album succeeds far better than anyone had any reason to expect. (Probably including the band's initial bets, I would guess!)
Almost this whole CD is fantastic, excepting the sole dud Pinball Wizard (and Eyesight To the Blind is another fairly low point).

Amazing Journey, Christmas, Tommy, Can You Hear Me? (with an ending with vocals that sound much like the Who), Overture, Go To The Mirror, We're Not Gonna Take It -- okay, these ARE great songs to start with, but the new dynamic of just a pure guitar-based rock album here is brilliant,
and the vocals are mostly excellent, with Jim Babjak proving a secret weapon.

I understand that a Who fanatic may find this whole concept blasphemous, but it's anything but. I LOVE the Who (more than The Smithereens, though I listened to Especially For You about a million times years ago -- and should probably check it out again soon);
this is the Smithereen's best album since "11", and an absolutely exciting, superb album AND tribute to what was once one of the greatest bands of all time.

Great artwork by king of the bootleg LP artists of the '70s, William Stout, parodying the artwork of Tales From The Who.

Absolutely recommended --for fans of both The Who and The Smithereens.

I was originally gonna give it four stars, (wanting to give it four and half), but it's so fantastic -- I'm listening to it right now -- this is totally growing on me, and it was exciting the moment I first heard it in my car, then near-heaven on my stereo at home. It's STILL continuing to grow! Better with each listen. Get it! Enjoy.
.


Hear me, buy me!
Such genuine care over the work presented not only as a tribute, but also as a heartfelt rock and roll record. Words cannot express what a pleasant surprise this is. Well crafted to the point of verging on its own Smithereens creation, not that of Pete Townsend. A pure delight, not to be missed. I would challenge any poseur band out there today to match this (I'm talking to you, Decemberists). Old guys rule!.


better than who
GREAT! what I personally like about this disk, is all the great guitar and drums on it. this is typical Smithereens quality. The only little thing I could not like on the original Tommy was some of the orchestration or horn, but this is all great guitar and edited down to a great pace.


You can see a complete list of all The Smithereens discography, or go back to the The Smithereens tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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