Meet the Smithereens
Sometimes recording even a single Beatles cover can be a perilous undertaking. So for the Smithereens to have the impudence to rerecordMeet the Beatlesin its entirety (even though some purists don't recognize it as canonical) is like taking the studio to edge of the cliff. But wait! While reaching the Fab Four stratosphere is impossible, this New Jersey pop combo, whose last record was released in 1999, comes about as close as any band could in celebrating the 43rd anniversary of this groundbreaking record. Sure, the lead-vocal fury that Lennon and McCartney created in 1964 can't be restored, and the three-part harmonies are less than hair-raising. But from the opening three chords of "I Want to Hold Your Hand," the Smithereens are respectful to the album's legacy, and let virtually no element slip past them. There's that "1-2-3-4!" countdown to "I Saw Her Standing There," the same virile harmonica in "Little Child," and a doo-wop tang to the ever-underappreciated "This Boy." And when "Not a Second Time" fades out the last of the album's 28 minutes, it leaves you wondering if the boys are bold enough to take a crack atAbbey Roadin September 2009.--Scott Holter