Everclear, or Something Like It

Everclear used to be one of my favorite bands. In my estimation, they haven’t made a solid album since So Much for the Afterglow. First three albums? Great. Last three albums – very erratic. Not that there weren’t some good songs (most of which were simply recycled versions of their past hits), but the albums as a whole were weak and compelled me to use the ‘next-track’ button more than I would like.

Then came the obligatory greatest hits album with throwaway ‘new’ tracks tacked on at the end. The band disintegrated, with only Art Alexakis remaining and a bunch of new guys recruited while Art tells us that Everclear’s always been pretty much just him. Sorry, but no. He may have written the songs in most cases, but the energy of the concerts did not just come from him. I’ve seen them probably six or seven times, and I’ve seen Art on his own (April 2004, in Cleveland). My first concert was Everclear headlining the SnoCore tour at SUNY Geneseo on March 7, 1999. Other acts included DJ Spooky (I yelled “You Suck!” at this guy, and then Wendy smacked me. I think now that she may admit I was right), Black Eyed Peas, and the very good but now defunct Soul Coughing (the first time – one of two – that I crowd-surfed).

I’m not sure any Everclear concert matched that first one. I saw them at Woodstock ’99, again in Rochester and Toronto, in Olean at St. Bonaventure, and then an awful free show in Buffalo in August last year with the new lineup. I bought a lot of Everclear stuff, listened to those first three albums over and over again, and was a pretty loyal fan. Art is obviously just cashing in on what’s left of the band’s name now, and it’s pretty sad.

My top Everclear songs, by album:

From World of Noise:

This album was nice and raw and just a little uncomfortable. I didn’t get into the band until I was 16 or 17 – 1998 or 99, so I obviously wasn’t around for this 1993 release, but I imagine it probably fit in well with what was going on at the time. As I look at some of the other developments in the band’s history, and Art’s habits, I tend to believe that Art was more about just making sure he was successful. He obviously took some chances with the country twang-rock of previous bands, most notably Colorfinger, but I think he chose to capitalize on the grunge movement and that just happened to be where he got lucky. Well, it worked for a while.

Fire Maple Song
Pennsylvania
Nervous and Weird
Sparkle
Loser Makes Good

From Sparkle and Fade:

This album is more produced than the debut, but still retains most of the rawness and edge of WoN. I can listen to this whole album on repeat, but the standout tracks are –

Heroin Girl
Summerland
Twistinside
Queen of the Air

From So Much for the Afterglow:

These tracks are a little more poppy, and this is the multi-platinum album. All the singles are solid, but I also like the low key White Men in Black Suits, Why I Don’t Believe in God, and especially the rocking California King.

Songs from an American Movie, Volume One: Learning How to Smile:

The sugar coating got worse with this album. Now That it’s Over sampled the legendary Bonham drums from Zep’s When the Levee Breaks, which initially annoyed me greatly, and then I just accepted that it was merely complimentary to the master. It’s a decent song. I like Thrift Store Chair and Otis Redding on this disc too, but the album is very weak in my view.

Volume Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude:

I think Art tried to return to the harder edge of Sparkle and Fade and failed with this album. The guitars were big, but the production was bigger, and everything just sounds too clean for the raw sound he was looking for. I should note that a lot of these tracks held up well in concert though.

Babytalk has a great riff but sub-par lyrics.
Misery Whip has a great structure but some odd S&M lyrics.
Out of My Depth is pretty solid.
Overwhelmed is good, and
Song from an American Movie, Part Two is pretty decent.

Slow Motion Daydream:

This album came out while I was living in Fort Collins, and I didn’t buy it right away. When I did, I was disappointed. I’ve listened to it the least of any EC album, with the exception of the greatest hits (named 10 Years Gone – Ten Years Gone is also one of my favorite Zeppelin songs). It is just as overproduced as the previous album, and it is an obvious attempt to get back on track by copying things that worked for the band before.

New Blue Champion is kind of a rehash of Twistinside, just like Out of My Depth was.
Other tracks are definitely hit and miss, but mostly miss. I must say that Volvo-Driving Soccer Mom ranks up there with the most annoying crap they’ve ever put out. Competition might include the ‘symphonic’ Annabella’s Song (it was so great when they were just doing it acoustically way back in ’96) and the whiny Wonderful. Wonderful for me is just Pale Green Stars from the perspective of a pre-adolescent kid.

Basically, I just can’t get excited about another Everclear album. It will probably be too mellow for my liking, and I kind of doubt that quote he has about being bluesy. I’m not expecting much.