Okay, I'm a fan...a HUGE fan, and by default this review must be tempered by this fact. The truth is that I've held off reviewing this record for so long because I didn't want my lack of objectivity to cloud my critique. Now 18 months after the fact, I'm still in love with this record.
Having said that, shall we progress to the nuts and bolts?
Everclear's third record, So Much For The Afterglow is a statement proclaiming that Rock is not dead, and at the same time further entrenches them in the Power Pop niche within the multi-genred music scene of the 90's (how's that for a high-concept run-on?). The Portland-based trio managed to create a record that is more energetic and more polished without diminishing their credibility along the way. This record is well worth the investment. As each song is noteworthy, each will be reviewed individually. If this bugs you, here's the bottom line…If you don't already own this record, go buy it today!
I bought this record the day after it had been released, and opened the package with great trepidation as many of the artists in '97 were trying to jump on the fading Electronic bandwagon. The title track on SMFTA soon assuaged my fears. Guitarist/Singer/All-Around-Nice-Guy Art Alexakis has always been able to point an honest finger at himself, and this track is no exception. The track opens with a Beach Boys-esque harmony somewhat mocking the success of "Santa Monica" off of the group's sophomore effort Sparkle And Fade. The term "Ball-Breaking Crunch" really does not come close to describing the transition form the harmony into the meat of the song. I remember thinking "What a great song to open a show with", and when the band played the Fillmore in November of that year, they did open with it. The song sets the tone for the album: Unpretentious and fun.
Following is the first single "Everything To Everyone" which is focused around a great hook by bassist Craig Montoya. This should be the anthem for the lot of Gen X, who in my mind are a bunch of whiny un-focused idiots who would rather blame everyone else for their problems rather than look within themselves for answers: "I think you like to play the victim, I think you like to be in pain, I think you make yourself a victim almost every single day" and "I think you are blind to the fact that the hand you hold is the hand that holds you down."
Alexakis benefits from chronological maturity in this regard. He has lived a fairly screwed-up life (heroin addiction, the drug-related loss of his brother, and a broken family) and rather than bitch about how unfair life is, he instead has chosen to pursue (with great zeal) his passion for music. His lyrics seem to be somewhat personally cathartic, yet his pain and strength also serve as inspiration for his fans (see Elvis Costello and Morrissey).
Everclear's sound is very "hook-y" and based around the interplay of Montoya's thick bass lines and Alexakis' somewhat Spartan (yet fuzzed out) guitar. Added into the mix are great vocal harmonies and crunching drum work from Greg Eklund, and the result is unabashed power pop which is both highly accessible and infectious.
Many of Alexakis' critics label him as driven by the need to package music designed to "move units." If selling records means selling out, then so be it; Hungry and Humble is only one way to go through life. Nirvana, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and even Trent Reznor, have all moved units. Does this mean that they have sold out? For all of the indie garage bands that would label Everclear as sell outs, Fuck Off. I'll see you screaming "Integrity" at the top of your lungs over a crappy second-hand PA opening for Rancid and NOFX at Gilman in twenty years. Oh yeah, Rage sold out, they just hide that fact while sitting in their homes in the Hollywood Hills thinking up new songs that bitch about social-fucking-justice.
Following "Everything…" is "Artaxia", a short voice over advocating pharmacological treatment for mental illness. This bleeds into "Normal Like You",a rather up-tempto "Fuck You" to the culture of "appearances" and medicinal denial that American culture now mandates.
Everclear are proud of their "white trash" roots (see "Heartspark Dollarsign" from S & F), and that their fans often come from similar humble backgrounds. "I Will Buy You A New Life" is an anthem for everybody struggling to survive and find happiness in the material world. Alexakis condemns the "nobility in poverty" notion as bullshit; at least HE has the courage to speak the truth rather than hide behind affected artistic pretense.
The magic of Alexakis is that he is able to speak to so many people with his lyrics, and can translate this emotional energy into music that fits perfectly with the theme of his words. "Father Of Mine" begins with subdued childhood remembrance and finishes with proud resolution to avoid the pitfalls of paternal abandonment. An interesting postscript to this song is that in December of '98 Art left his wife to move to LA. I don't know if he took his daughter with him or not.
Everclear answer their critics (and attack the entertainment biz in the 90's...and maybe Trent to boot) with "One Hit Wonder." Notable on this track are horns...HORNS for Christ's sake! This brings up the topic of instrumentation, which on this album is very good given that Everclear are at their core a Punk/Pop band (This is NOT OK Computer we're talking about). They push forward admirably from where they were on S & F, yet don't try anything that they can't deliver (Rancid).
"El Distorto De Melodica"reminds us of the band's roots. A nice little grind that will either make you want to mosh or grudge-fuck someone in the shower...your call. This song was insane live, but then again Everclear is one of the strongest live acts I've seen this decade. Like their recordings, they are honest, fun, and embrace their fans. Plus they're louder than God...oh, and they rock, Beavis.
Many critics have labeled Everclear's sound as redundant. "Amphetamine" provides some grist for this argument. It is highly reminiscent both thematically and musically of "Heroin Girl" off of S & F. Though similar, "Amphetamine" adds a layer of depth as the song closes with Alexakis dealing with one of the many frustrations of addiction--the unending empty promise of change: "Amy wakes me up just to tell me everything will be all right, yeah I tell myself the same damn thing, every day."
Survival as a theme makes another appearance in "White Men In Black Suits", a truly minimalist gem that again inspires hope rather than focusing on an uncomfortable reality.
"Sunflowers" is one of the tunes that I'm glad hasn't hit as a single yet. It's marvelous, and as an admitted fan, would hate to hear this tune on the lips of some mindless twit that a year ago thought that the fucking Backstreet Boys were the paragons of pop. The tune itself is horridly up-tempo, and is a sleeper pick for a radio track (though I thought for sure that the title track would have hit by now, and never thought "Father..." would hit--Hey, what do I know?). If you've ever melted away from time in a room while in the arms of someone you love, then you will love this track.
The brutally frank honesty with which Alexakis approaches his lyrical subject matter reaches a gut-wrenching apex in "Why I Don't Believe In God". The instrumentation in this tune is magnificent (banjos and acoustic guitars) and honestly still leaves me speechless every time I listen to it.
"Like A California King" is somewhat enigmatic. I honestly think that Art is singing about himself in this twisted tale about "starting over." The lyrics almost sound like they were from a conversation directed at him by an ex-lover. If not, I pity the fool he's singing about. This is one of the few tunes that Alexakis allows his external frustration to cloud his otherwise positive worldview. "I see you fall and I get happy, I will watch you burn like fire…like a California King."
A bonus track, "I Will Be Hating You For Christmas", closes the album out. Talk about a holiday standard...Sheesh...And with a mandolin track no less, AND a back-up choir singing "Silent Night"...Bing may be out of a job.
Many European cultures bemoan American music (and Americans in general) as "sentimental" and "over-emotional." Songs such as "Father Of Mine" and "Why I Don't Believe In God" are fodder for the European press. Perhaps this is why Everclear are not as monstrous abroad as they are here. I personally would rather talk about my emotions and move on rather than hide them inside (and behind a wall Prozac) and suffer a nervous breakdown at 30 because I couldn't express the contents of my heart. Alexakis et al allow us to visit the dark areas of our lives and feel that someone else understands. At $17.99, the CD is cheaper and easier to dance to than a month of therapy.
With so much crap on the market, it is no surprise that this record still receives so much airplay. SMFTA is a great record, one that will only get better with age. The great thing about albums like this is that they are able to transcend labels. This will not be a record that people in the future will associate with the 90's, merely one that will make them smile and want to dance.