PRESS
Latest press for Life Out Loud:
Question: Where did Mark Lindsay, the voice of Paul Revere and the Raiders, go when he wanted to return to his garage rock roots?
Answer: New Jersey.
Specifically, the groovy House of Vibes recording studio in Highland Park. That’s where Lindsay recorded his new rock ’n’ raw album, “Life Out Loud.” (go to article)
Punk Rock Opera Meets the Godfathers of Pop!
"...When asked about this album, The Smithereens frontman Pat DiNizio stated, "This is punk rock opera meets the godfathers of pop. Plain and simple."
Rolling Stone, November 26, 2009 "Akhtar...sounds perfectly at home in Skip James' "Special Rider Blues," while Lucas makes the Mississippi ghosts dance."
Haute Fidelite (France), June 2009
"...it is very well produced in the House of Vibes Studio in New Jersey. Tracks are clear and never colorless or dry. Its a perfect combination of sounds of tablas, guitar chords, and romantic emotive vocals. It's smart and crystal clear without falling into harshness."
4 STARS MOJO 07/09 "Rishte is vital and red-blooded." "Outstanding hybrid music from British-born Indian singer and US guitarist."
DiNizio never simply re-creates Holly's originals: He turns That'll Be the Day into a cappella doo wop and Raining in My Heart into a John Lennon-like melancholy. — Brian Mansfield, USA TODAY
'...DiNizio has pulled off the seemingly impossible — he’s made Buddy Holly’s music new again. Outstanding." ★★★★ Jeff Miers, Buffalo News
Bullz Eye-"...given Dinizio’s reverence for rock’s deepest roots, it’s doubtful any will be as heartfelt as the homage offered here."
ieweekly - "...You can tell it was a labor of love for the singer/guitarist, who considers Holly a major influence, once wrote a tune about Holly’s widow (“Maria Elena”), owns Holly’s original tape recorder and uses Holly replica guitars made by Fender."
R’n’B with an Eastern flair: Najma Akhtar and Gary Lucas. ”We ended up doing a fantastic four-song demo and we had a wonderful engineer. Kurt did the most amazing job of getting the right balance and I went back to London very happy,” - Najma Akhtar
The Smithereens B-sides The Beatles:
“An important aspect of the early Beatles’ music is that it was recorded quickly, on the run, in between tours and movies,” Kurt realizes. “The Smithereens wanted to capture that urgency in their own way, and so the sessions for B-Sides were scheduled at the same time we were recording their Live In Concert album at The Court Tavern in New Brunswick, NJ.
“What we would do is record the basic tracks for B-Sides during the afternoon, knocking each song out in a few takes, then I’d pack up my computer and head off down the street to The Court Tavern. I’d hook up to our setup there and record the evening’s show. We did this for four days, bouncing back and forth between the studio and club, and by Sunday we had all the basics for the album and four live shows to be reviewed.. Overall it was a joyous process. I mean, how much better does it really get to be recording Beatles tunes with The Smithereens and getting paid for it?" -Rock and Roll Report.com
"What makes “Meet the Smithereens” unusual is the degree to which, like a good classical performance, it balances fidelity to the original with a projection of the interpreter’s style...The album manages to scream Beatles 1964 and Smithereens 2007 all at once."
-Alan Kozinn, New York Times
"And what a sound. Does co-producer Kurt Reil have magic dust at his House of Vibes studio in Highland Park, where "Meet the Smithereens!" was recorded?"- Chris Jordan, Home News Tribune
"We wanted to be reverential to what (The Beatles) had done,'' said Reil. "There's a certain excitement in those early recordings. We wanted to reflect that and also infuse it with the Smithereens sound, and that was my job.'' -Chris Junior, Asbury Park Press