Vinyl Junkie #8 - Especially for You

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If you have ever listened to Material Issue's great 1991 album, International Pop Overthrow, you'll know that the bulk of the songs are basically about being in love with girls that are completely unaware of your existence, even if they live in the apartment directly above you. It's been a common theme in popular music for like, forever, and The Smithereens were doing it, and doing it well, back in the 1980's. Their 1985 debut album, Especially For You (produced by the great Don Dixon,) is chock full of songs just like that, only unlike Material Issue's Jim Ellison, Smithereens vocalist Pat DiNizio didn't mention these girls directly by name. But it's there. In "Strangers When We Meet," DiNizio pleads "Please don't look my way, when we're walking down the street, we will still be strangers when we meet." Except you just know that the shy singer is NEVER going to meet this girl. At least in "Behind the Wall of Sleep," DiNizio, with a world-class crush on a bassist who wears her hair like Jean Shrimpton and stands onstage "just like Bill Wyman" at least makes a phone call, getting as far as the girl's roommate. This is a fantastic 60's-style 80's alternative guitar pop album (just try and tell me that "Crazy Mixed Up Kid" isn't something that Buddy Holly might well have done had he lived,) that has everything from a pretty ballad ("In a Lonely Place") with Suzanne Vega (DiNizio and Vega had worked in an office together at one point,) to a menacing bass line in "Blood and Roses" to some neat accordion play on "Cigarette." Previous formats in which I've owned Especially for You are cassette and CD. I love this album, so I didn't hesitate to buy it on vinyl. Don't believe me just how good this is? Just ask @FourWalls, or @myklj999. They'll tell you! R.I.P., Pat. We miss you! (Info verified by Wikipedia)