Hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed vault release THE LOST ALBUM, the seminal New Jersey alt-rock quartet sees their originals and covers Christmas album on vinyl for the first time. Released on 11/18/2022, followed by the CD reissue.
Both available in The Smithereens’ STORE.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Christmas with The Smithereens is more than a Christmas-time album. This quartet does an impressive job of channeling the spirit of 1960s rock and solidly interpreting each memorable tune. The band’s originals add a nice twist to the disc and are written with such ‘60s-savviness that without prior knowledge, it would almost be difficult to decide which songs were covers and which were originals. Lead singer Pat DiNizio wraps his husky voice around a smartly selected collection of classic seasonal rockers such as “Run Rudolph Run” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” along with more obscure fare. It’s the latter that makes this such a delight, as the band tears into rugged re-workings of the Ramones’ “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight),” The Who’s crunchy “Christmas”(from Tommy) and even a rare Beatles’ track grabbed from the Liverpool band’s ’60s fan club only discs.
Sunset Blvd. Records is re-issuing Christmas with The Smithereens on November 18, 2022. The green vinyl will be a limited edition of 1000 and marks the first time the collection will be available in the LP format and the first time on CD since 2007.
The Smithereens’ originals include “Waking Up on Christmas Morning” written by Jim Babjak, “Christmas Time All Over the World” by Pat DiNizio/Jim Babjak/Dennis Diken/Mike Mesaros, and “Christmas (I Remember) by Pat DiNizio/Jim Babjak/Dennis Diken. The album was produced by DiNizio, Babjak, and Diken, along with Kurt Reil.
In the words of drummer Dennis Diken: “Beginning at a tender age, records became my favorite and the most meaningful gifts I received at Christmas. ‘Kiddie’ 45s and 78s and the scant Christmas records that my parents bought served as my introductions to the wonderful world of recorded sound when I was 2 or 3 years old. I’d sit hypnotized in front of the small ‘Pal’ phonograph. My earliest recollection of owning any kind of LP was Sing A Song of Christmas with Woody The Chipmunk and All The Gang, a cheap, rather weird knockoff of Alvin & company, with garish sleeve art, bedecked with tin-foil snowflakes. Around this time, my mom turned me on to a 10” long-player of a capella Carpathian Christmas carols, sung by a soulful, wailing choir that chilled me to the bone. I still listen to it. Although I swore allegiance to all things non- square (as much as my pre-school barometer could detect) I gave special dispensation to Christmas records.”
Track listing:
Side 1
1. Waking Up On Christmas Morning (Jim Babjak)
2. Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) (Claude De Metruis/Aaron Schroeder)
3. Merry Christmas, Baby (Brian Wilson/Mike Love)
4. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Johnny Marks)
5. Christmas Time All Over the World (Pat DiNizio/Jim Babjak/Dennis Diken/Mike Mesaros)
6. Christmas (Pete Townshend)
7. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (public domain, arranged by Pat DiNizio/Jim Babjak/Dennis Diken)
Side 2
1. Run Rudolph Run (Marvin Brody/Johnny Marks)
2. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight) (Douglas Colvin/John Cummings/Jeff Hyman)
3. Christmas (I Remember) (Pat DiNizio/Jim Babjak/Dennis Diken)
4. Auld Lang Syne (public domain, arranged by Pat DiNizio/Jim Babjak/Dennis Diken)
5. Christmas Time is Here Again (George Harrison/John Lennon/Paul McCartney/Richard Starkey)
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