Dennis Diken with Bell Sound - 'Late Music'

Smithereens drummer and vocalist Dennis Diken has teamed with multi-instrumentalist Pete DiBella to create one of the year’s most shimmering re-creations of anything-goes, late-’60s pop rock.

With help from the Wondermints and uber-producer/arranger Andy Paley, Diken and DiBella evoke the musical spirit of “Happy Jack”-era Who, “Pet Sounds”-era Beach Boys and “Revolver”-era Beatles, along with such harmony-happy ’60s outfits as The Association, The Tremeloes and Harpers Bizarre.   As part of the Smithereens, Diken was never far from this precious genre that combined rock dynamics, ethereal vocals, layers of harmonies and psychedelic orchestrations with blends of electric guitars, sitars and harpsichords. With Diken’s thundering Keith Moon-style drums lurking in the mix, he and DiBella breathe life and vibrancy into the 40-year-old genre. The two and their friends re-create the sound with exacting detail, playfulness and reverence.

  – Eric Feber, The Pilot

Tracks to download  “The Sun’s Gonna Shine in the Morning,” “Standing in That Line”

Buy "Late Music" in MP3 format (Link goes to Amazon.com)

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.