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Music

Listen to this

A look at some new music.

By SEAN DALY
Published February 4, 2007

The Smithereens

Album: Meet the Smithereens! Koch

In stores: Now

Why we care: The '80s-born Jersey quartet, led by goateed quirkball Pat DiNizio, reverently cover 1964's Meet the Beatles! from start to finish, I Want to Hold Your Hand to Not a Second Time. Fab idea, but is it more than a knockoff novelty?

Why we like it: The power-pop band captures all the famous details - the harmonica spunk of Little Child, the countdown kickoff of I Saw Her Standing There - but they also put Garden State 'tude into the fun, with the guitars a little wilder, the vocals a little gruffer.

Reminds us of: John, Paul, George and Vito

Download these: Little Child and Till There Was You

Grade: B+

Keak Da Sneak, E-40, Da Muzicianz & More

Album: Hyphy Hitz (TVT)

In stores: Now

Why we care: The hottest new hip-hop hub is Oakland, Calif., where rappers and car addicts worship the "hyphy" musical movement ("hyper" + "fly" = "hyphy"), with its ominous keyboard lines, big drums and chanted lyrics about "ghostriding the whip" - that is, dancing outside, or on, your slowly moving car.

Why we like it: Unlike "crunk," which was about getting your freak on in a sweaty club, "hyphy" is about community and pride: the cars, the dancing, the tunes. We're not crazy about the videos on YouTube showing "ghostriding" mishaps. (Look out for that telephone pole.) But the music's energy is infectious.

Reminds us of: A Chinese fire drill

Download these: Yadadamean (by the A'z), Get on My Hype (by Messy Marv)

Grade: B

Mew

Album: Frengers (Columbia)

In stores: Now

Why we care: Released (and huzzahed) everywhere but here in 2003, this debut disc from the Danish male quintet finally makes it to the States.

Why we like it: With the endless layers of guitar and piano, the soaring high-end vocals and the flair for the grandiose, the Danes' chances of stateside success, at least among hipsters, are good. Their list of inspirations is as disparate as Prince, the Pixies and the Pet Shop Boys, but something tells me they also dig Radiohead and the Cure.

Reminds us of: Depeche Mode, too.

Download these: Am I Wry? No, Snow Brigade and Symmetry

Grade: B+

SONG OF THE WEEK

Jane's Addiction

Song: Superhero

Album: Up From the Catacombs: The Best of Jane's Addiction (Warner Bros./Rhino)

In stores: Now

Why we care: Ever wonder who sings the cocky, grinding theme song on HBO Hollywood comedy Entourage? Well, now you know.

Why we like it: Dave Navarro's roguish guitar buzz and Perry Farrell's (shown above) vainglorious boasts perfectly match the show's male fantasy ride down the neon-dripped Sunset Strip.

Reminds us of: Cruising for starlets with our posse. (The new season of Entourage starts April 8.)

Song grade: A

Album grade: A

Sean Daly can be reached at sdaly@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8467. His blog is at blogs.tampabay.com/popmusic.

[Last modified February 2, 2007, 08:32:37]