The Smithereens

The Smithereens' second studio album, Green Thoughts, doesn't contain quite as much spiked ear candy as their debut, Especially for You, but it is packed with chunky guitar pop. Not unlike Cheap Trick, the Smithereens are at their best when successfully negotiating the very American tightrope between power pop, new wave and hard rock, which is what they do on gems like "The World We Know" and "Drown in My Own Tears." After Green Thoughts, the Smithereens would go for more with an A.O.R. vibe.