God Save The Smithereens

''BEHIND THE Walls Of Sleep', a great slice of that much maligned beast, power pop, was one of those songs that lodged itself deep in my memory banks. The band, The Smithereens, made five albums before separating for solo projects; now they are together again and back on top form.

From the opening song, 'She's Got A Way', we're in a world of well constructed, memorable and melodic guitar music. This is pop that crackles rather than pop that plays the big numbers game.

Produced by Don Fleming, who has twiddled the knobs for Teenage Fanclub and the Posies in the past, God Save The Smithereens has a rich textured sound that adds such individualistic delights as late night jazz trumpet on 'Try' and trombone on 'The Age Of Innocence'. Singer Pat DiNizio also adds his keyboard skills to round out the sound.

If you like the pure rush of intelligent, well-crafted power pop - of guitar music that draws from the gene pool of The Beatles, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Big Star and Badfinger - then you will definitely join in the chorus of "God Save The Smithereens".