Everclear - Songs from an American Movie Vol. 2

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Unlike most alternative bands that had their big break in the early to mid-'90s, Portland-based Everclear has managed to avoid the pitfalls of poor sales, drugs, or just breaking up. The band has come a long was in a relatively short period of time. Everclear released its indie debut World of Noise, which was recorded in a basement for a meager $400 in 1993. The band was pursued by several major labels and signed with Capitol Records.

In 1995, the band released its major label debut Sparkle and Fade, which sold moderately well, even though radio and MTV shunned the first single "Heroin Girl." With the more radio-friendly second single "Santa Monica (Watch of the World Die)," radio quickly picked it up and MTV played the video non-stop, helping the record reach platinum status.

The band's third album So Much for the Afterglow progressed similarly with the first two singles "Everything to Everyone" and "I Will Buy You a New Life" doing fairly well on radio. However it wasn't until the third single "Father of Mine" tapped into that all-important TRL crowd, which helped push So Much for the Afterglow to double-platinum status. After staying on the road for the better part of two and a half years touring behind So Much for the Afterglow, the band decided to take a break. On the break, frontman Art Alexakis went to work on a solo album. After working on the album for a bit, he asked the other band members, bassist Craig Montoya and drummer Greg Eklund, to come in and listen to what he had. After hearing the new material, they decided to do it as a new Everclear album. That album became Songs From an American Movie Volume One: Learning How to Smile, the first part of this two-CD set. Learning How to Smile is the stripped-down lighter pop side of the band, and has already spawned two singles, "Wonderful" and "AM Radio," which are currently getting heavy airplay on several major radio stations. Songs From an American Movie Volume Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude comes out just five months afte the release of Learning How to Smile and already has its own single "When It All Goes Wrong Again," in heavy rotation. As you may have guessed, Volume Two is the heavier, more rock-oriented side of Everclear.

The album kicks off with the aforementioned single "When It All Goes Wrong Again." The song's hard and heavy guitar marks the band's return to a heavier sound that surfaced at times on So Much for the Afterglow and was nowhere to be found on Learning How to Smile, and stands in stark contrast to the last single, the bouncy pop of "AM Radio." The next track "Slide" keeps things moving with revved-up guitars backed by new-wave-ish keyboards. The third track "Babytalk" is a bit funkier in the intro, but returns to the heavy distortion and Montoya's rumbling bass line, as Alexakis sings about a friend who has fallen in love and starts in with the annoying baby talk, not so tactfully pointing it out with the chorus of "it's quite obvious she's got him by the balls," just a little reminder that this isn't the same Everclear from Learning How to Smile.

"Rock Star" is a catchy as hell pure power-pop gem, as Alexakis sings as a wanne-be rock star and all the things he wants from it. "Short Blonde Hair" slows things up a bit and pretty much sums up what life is like after getting the stardom he sang of in "Rock Star," where living in the public eye doesn't seem to be all that it's cracked up to be and how life isn't exactly how he thought it would be once he got it. Next up is the dysfynctional relationship of "Misery Whip," a tale of a man who doesn't feel complete until he feels sick inside or in emotional pain, an instant Everclear classic that won't see the light of radio, but will surely be a favorite of any Everclear fan.

"Out of My Depth" follows the same musical style as "Misery Whip" as it details a slow descent into despair. "Good Witch of the North" is the first song on Good Time for a Bad Attitude where the relationship isn't screwed up in some a way, a nice change of pace. Next up is the blazing instrumental track "Halloween Americana" a full three minutes of high-charged riffing. Following that is the punk-tinged "All Fucked up," which starts off as if it's going to be another bombastic rock song with the lines "it ain't easy being easy now" before an evil laugh chimes in and Alexakis snarls "What the fuck are you laughing at?" and the band rips into the fast and furious three-chord punk thrash reminiscent of "Chemical Smile" or "Her Brand New Skin" off of Sparkle and Fade.

"Overwhelming" is a remake of a song Alexakis recorded as a solo track for the soundtrack to Permanent Midnight. The band beefs it up with more electric guitars and a de-emphasis of the string section that appeared on the original version. The album closes with "Song from an American Movie Part Two." A short acoustic reprise of this song opens Learning How to Smile and almost sounds like a throw away until you hear the rest of the song here on Volume Two. The song, like most of Everclear's material, draws on Alexakis' life. This one deals with his recent divorce and how it troubles him that he can't always be there for his little girl and how he pretty much just lives for the time he gets to spend with his daughter. The song brings both albums together and ties them up rather nicely.

If you're a fan of real pop, not that of the bubblegum variety, then go out now and buy Learning How to Smile. If you're a big fan of loud hard rock, not the rap/metal monster that rules the radio waves these days, then pick up Good Time for a Bad Attitude. If you're a fan of just plain good, well-written music with heartfelt lyrics, then go out and buy both of them as soon as possible, put them in your CD player and blast them for hours on end and I promise you won't be disappointed.


	Steamer Trunk \| home stuff about me \| album reviews \| PS2 game reviews \| pictures \| web watch \| getting in touch Rilo Kiley - Take Offs and Landings \| Slipknot - Iowa \| Ozma - Rock and Roll Part Three \| Ben Folds - Rockin' the Suburbs \| Lit - Atomic \| Garbage - Beautifulgarbage \| The Strokes - Is This It \| Live - V \| Tori Amos - Strange Little Girls \| Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American \| Blink 182 - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket \| Weezer - The Green Album \| Alkaline Trio From Here to Infirmary \| Alkaline Trio - Hell Yes \| American Hi-Fi \| Our Lady Peace - Spiritual Machines \| Aerosmith - Just Push Play \| Dave Matthews Band - Everyday \| Blue Meanies - Post Wave \| Weston - The Massed Albert Sounds \| U2 - All That You Cant Leave Behind \| Green Day - Warning \| Offspring - Conspiracy of One \| Everclear - Songs from an American Movie Vol. 2 \| Radiohead - Kid A \| Limp Bizkit - Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water \| Smashing Pumkins - Machina II \| Superdrag - In The Valley Of Dying Stars \| Voodoo Music Festival Everclear - Songs from an American Movie Vol. 2 Unlike most alternative bands that had their big break in the early to mid-'90s, Portland-based Everclear has managed to avoid the pitfalls of poor sales, drugs, or just breaking up. The band has come a long was in a relatively short period of time. Everclear released its indie debut World of Noise, which was recorded in a basement for a meager $400 in 1993. The band was pursued by several major labels and signed with Capitol Records. In 1995, the band released its major label debut Sparkle and Fade, which sold moderately well, even though radio and MTV shunned the first single "Heroin Girl." With the more radio-friendly second single "Santa Monica (Watch of the World Die)," radio quickly picked it up and MTV played the video non-stop, helping the record reach platinum status. The band's third album So Much for the Afterglow progressed similarly with the first two singles "Everything to Everyone" and "I Will Buy You a New Life" doing fairly well on radio. However it wasn't until the third single "Father of Mine" tapped into that all-important TRL crowd, which helped push So Much for the Afterglow to double-platinum status. After staying on the road for the better part of two and a half years touring behind So Much for the Afterglow, the band decided to take a break. On the break, frontman Art Alexakis went to work on a solo album. After working on the album for a bit, he asked the other band members, bassist Craig Montoya and drummer Greg Eklund, to come in and listen to what he had. After hearing the new material, they decided to do it as a new Everclear album. That album became Songs From an American Movie Volume One: Learning How to Smile, the first part of this two-CD set. Learning How to Smile is the stripped-down lighter pop side of the band, and has already spawned two singles, "Wonderful" and "AM Radio," which are currently getting heavy airplay on several major radio stations. Songs From an American Movie Volume Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude comes out just five months afte the release of Learning How to Smile and already has its own single "When It All Goes Wrong Again," in heavy rotation. As you may have guessed, Volume Two is the heavier, more rock-oriented side of Everclear. The album kicks off with the aforementioned single "When It All Goes Wrong Again." The song's hard and heavy guitar marks the band's return to a heavier sound that surfaced at times on So Much for the Afterglow and was nowhere to be found on Learning How to Smile, and stands in stark contrast to the last single, the bouncy pop of "AM Radio." The next track "Slide" keeps things moving with revved-up guitars backed by new-wave-ish keyboards. The third track "Babytalk" is a bit funkier in the intro, but returns to the heavy distortion and Montoya's rumbling bass line, as Alexakis sings about a friend who has fallen in love and starts in with the annoying baby talk, not so tactfully pointing it out with the chorus of "it's quite obvious she's got him by the balls," just a little reminder that this isn't the same Everclear from Learning How to Smile. "Rock Star" is a catchy as hell pure power-pop gem, as Alexakis sings as a wanne-be rock star and all the things he wants from it. "Short Blonde Hair" slows things up a bit and pretty much sums up what life is like after getting the stardom he sang of in "Rock Star," where living in the public eye doesn't seem to be all that it's cracked up to be and how life isn't exactly how he thought it would be once he got it. Next up is the dysfynctional relationship of "Misery Whip," a tale of a man who doesn't feel complete until he feels sick inside or in emotional pain, an instant Everclear classic that won't see the light of radio, but will surely be a favorite of any Everclear fan. "Out of My Depth" follows the same musical style as "Misery Whip" as it details a slow descent into despair. "Good Witch of the North" is the first song on Good Time for a Bad Attitude where the relationship isn't screwed up in some a way, a nice change of pace. Next up is the blazing instrumental track "Halloween Americana" a full three minutes of high-charged riffing. Following that is the punk-tinged "All Fucked up," which starts off as if it's going to be another bombastic rock song with the lines "it ain't easy being easy now" before an evil laugh chimes in and Alexakis snarls "What the fuck are you laughing at?" and the band rips into the fast and furious three-chord punk thrash reminiscent of "Chemical Smile" or "Her Brand New Skin" off of Sparkle and Fade. "Overwhelming" is a remake of a song Alexakis recorded as a solo track for the soundtrack to Permanent Midnight. The band beefs it up with more electric guitars and a de-emphasis of the string section that appeared on the original version. The album closes with "Song from an American Movie Part Two." A short acoustic reprise of this song opens Learning How to Smile and almost sounds like a throw away until you hear the rest of the song here on Volume Two. The song, like most of Everclear's material, draws on Alexakis' life. This one deals with his recent divorce and how it troubles him that he can't always be there for his little girl and how he pretty much just lives for the time he gets to spend with his daughter. The song brings both albums together and ties them up rather nicely. If you're a fan of real pop, not that of the bubblegum variety, then go out now and buy Learning How to Smile. If you're a big fan of loud hard rock, not the rap/metal monster that rules the radio waves these days, then pick up Good Time for a Bad Attitude. If you're a fan of just plain good, well-written music with heartfelt lyrics, then go out and buy both of them as soon as possible, put them in your CD player and blast them for hours on end and I promise you won't be disappointed.