Just tell them you're busy that night

• Artist: The Smithereens
  
• Album: A Date With The Smithereens
  
• Year: 1994
  
• Why I picked it up: The cover gave off the strong vibe that it would be some sort of rock, possibly hard rock or punk, and it looked classic enough that I would enjoy it.

The Smithereens are more from the hard-rock/post-grunge sound of the early 90s that was completely played out back then. The sound wasn't fantastic back then, and it's still not so great today. The Smithereens can do this sound as good as any other does, but that doesn't let them stand out in any way. It feels like every song is very similar, with the reverbed guitars, slow and steady drums, unsubstantial bass, and droning vocals spouting emotional and "dark" lyrics. It's pretty evident that the singer is trying to break up before this Date is even through. Each track's lyrics are sad or depressing, but since the general singing style in this genre is this low, sad, droning voice, the lyrics' point gets lost. Overall, not worth it. If you like the genre, this will be too much of the average to become a staple in your listening line up.

Two quick dating tips: don't tell her you two are "going nowhere" and don't tell her that "love is gone."

• Standout track: Love Is Gone
  
• MySpace: The Smithereens
  
• How much I would've paid: $2
  
• Rating: 2/5