Everclear - Songs From An American Movie Vol 1: Learning How To Smile

Released on 11 July 2000

Review from CDNow
Though Everclear didn't win any originality contests with its radio-ready punk pop, the combination of the trio's neo-grunge and frontman Art Alexakis' brooding pathos proved irresistible to many an alt-rock fan.
For the last few years, it has been Art against the big, bad world, so it's both refreshing and a bit off-putting to hear Alexakis in such a newly contented state of grace: Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile finds the singer disarmingly sentimental, as he waxes nostalgic for classic AM radio, Chinese food in bed, and the comfort of a Frasier-like favorite chair.

No longer playing the underdog, Alexakis basks in his role as proud papa (the first track), and the intense, sensitive leading man you don't want to let get away ("Unemployed Boyfriend"), though he delivers the latter with a wink and a smirk.

Though the standout "Wonderful" follows the winning blueprint of Everclear hits like "Santa Monica" and "Father of Mine," the band eschews its usual infectious, guitar-driven rock -- turning its attention to harmonies and intricate string arrangements, and tossing in random samples and dialogue bits. They tackle Hawaiian-flavored honky-tonk successfully, and take a disastrous stab at classic funk. In what is no doubt meant to be an homage, they face the formidable task of covering Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl."

While convincingly earnest and certainly ambitious, the result is formulaic, and lacks the free-wheelin', soulful magic of the original -- which brings us to the bottom line. If there is one thing from which this record suffers, it's that its reach exceeds its range. If Alexakis continues to confront such musical giants, he may not lose his underdog status after all.