Track Listing
1. Electra made me blind 2. Heroin girl 3. You make me feel like a wh*re 4. Santa monica 5. Summerland 6. Strawberry 7. Heartspark dollarsign 8. The twistinside 9. Her brand new skin 10. Nehalem 11. Queen of the air 12. Pale green stars 13. Chemical smile 14. My sexual life Year: 1995 Label: Capitol - Offical Site |
Everclear - 'Sparkle and fade' - By M. Freeman
Having heard Everclear's third and most successful album proper 'So Much For The Afterglow' before this release I wasn't really sure what to expect, knowing that they had changed direction somewhat from their early days. Since Everclear have become more popular, many people would instantly dismiss them for pop pap, which in effect, they have been to an extent of late. Despite the release of 'Songs From An American Movie: Volume 2' making up slightly for the disappointment of the first disc in the set, they've not yet re-discovered their early form. To be honest, I tend to skip the first track on this album, 'Electra Made Me Blind' isn't a bad track, it just isn't a great starter by any means. The sound becomes droney and slightly irritating to my ears after a while, definitely not a good example of the class which is on show in some of the better moments of the disc. If you want a decent impression of the band's early, more impressive music, don't get this track, you have been warned. 'Heroin Girl' starts off much more promisingly. It's a short track, but it's best left short because it's a quick jab of infection of just what Everclear are about. Art Alexakis (vocals) churns out 'I used to know a girl, she had two pierced nipples and a black tattoo', all in all, a somewhat controversial song, but a very good one all the same. This is Seattle grunge at it's most infectious best. Another relatively short track in the shape of 'You Make Me Feel Like A Wh*re', controversial title maybe, but this is equally infectious as the disc's last offering. A slow but very catchy riff to start proceedings lets the track gather pace in a suitable manner. All in all this could well be a subtle dig at someone who's affected Alexakis' live in someway, but it doesn't matter, aside from the track being good, the lyrics are top quality too. A track which leads on aptly to the next one... 'Santa Monica' is a slow piece, almost acoustic-like in it's composition, with a similar formula to the previous track, it's another nice listen. The quality of writing in this show some of Alexakis' better moments with lines such as 'We can live beside the ocean, leave the fires behind, swim out past the breakers, watch the world die' is a good example. If there was to be a title track for the record, 'Summerland' would be it, if only for the inclusion of the lyric 'We could get lost in the fall, glimmer, sparkle and fade'. Aside from the lyrics fitting the record title, the musicianship isn't quite so apt for the title track honour, only towards the end does this track have any real feel to offer, it's a song about regret, or more precisely regretting if one doesn't move on. Strawberry' is a fairly gentle track once again, which to be truthful gets a little boring. As with many of Everclear's disappointing musical attempts, the track has potential in the lyrics. Don't get me wrong, this track is good for some moods, but the problem is it's not a mood I find myself in too often, and for that fact it leaves the listener wondering if the album has shown all it's high points. Well, in answer to that query, no, is the simplest way of putting it, there is some true class to follow. 'Heartspark Dollarsign' is one piece on offer than can boast both musical and lyrical depth. It's not heavy, but it's a track which cannot be appreciated enough for it's true content. The moral here is on a racial front, and love should break through the barriers of racism, Alexakis couldn't possibly have worded it better. Even if you haven't heard the track, seek out the lyrics. It's difficult to pick any short part from the track as it is more like a story but 'I'll break the white-trash ties that bind, trade a love so pure for a hate so blind' is a nice example of how good the lyrics really are. The mid-point of the album begins as another low-key affair but 'The Twistinside' is still a good track. For a song over four and a half minutes in length, to say that the lyrics are all but over by two minutes is not a bad thing, it just shows a more instrumental side to the music for the second half, which isn't bad at all. It does feel though, that the standard has dropped slightly and needs something to pick the feel back up again, and that is done in style. 'Her Brand New Skin' is one of the shortest tracks on 'Sparkle...' but it's what Everclear seem to do best on this album. 'She is everywhere I am, yeah when I don't want her to be there, I kinda want to leave, in a hurry' is another song about a girl, it's a familiar addition in the bands work but it seems to be the thing that works so well with their music, so as long as Alexakis has past experiences to talk about, it would seem as though things are looking up. Another quick blast of action in the form of 'Nehalem', in the time it takes to get into this track it's all but ended, not necessarily a bad thing though because it's one that should be kept short, and again, it's something which Everclear can be proud of doing to good effect. A faultless quicker moment of the disc. If another example of Alexakis' writing ability was needed, here you have it. 'Queen Of The Air' is a dark song, but it stands for what one would presume to be an emotional period in Art's life and when he can word these experiences so well that people can relate to them, he should continue to do so because this is one of Everclear's greatest achievements as far as writings goes. Musically fitting with the story behind it, this is a thoughtful piece. Nearing the end of the disc, 'Pale Green Stars' is another gentle and thoughtful song with a story behind it, not for the first time as you will have noticed by now. After a few spins of the album, the slower moments begin to stand out slightly more and I urge you to listen to the whole album because even these elements have sure quality within them. Back to a reasonable tempo with a track entitled 'Chemical Smile', a clever title by all accounts. As with the previous shorter pieces, this again is a blast of energy which has a feel-good factor about it. The lyrics are simple, yet well written, whilst the music is also simple but contageous. 'Chemical Smile' would possibly have been a better way to end proceedings, but, having said that, it's a good track to be placed near the close. The final track, named 'My Sexual Life' is revisiting the formula used for 'Pale Green Stars', it's not a bad track, but one can't help but think the balance between the fast paced and the lighter moments could have been a little better weighted towards the up-tempo side, that said, Everclear are good at both themes. The song is just how the title indicates, some good lyrical elements hold the track in place but musically it's a little too mellow for an ending note. One of the points about this album which is disappointing is that it could've been so much more than it is. The reason I still rate it highly is that between the not so good tracks, there are some real quality pieces. The unfortunate thing is; the musically poor tracks on here have some fantastic lyrical content which leads me to believe that the band could have spent a little more time making the album better as a whole. The album signalled a change in direction for the Seattle three-piece from their debut 'World Of Noise' which had a more raw feel to it. If you are only interested in heavy music, then this is not a record which belongs in your collection, but if you are a music lover who appreciates a good balance between well written music and lyrics, then this is probably more suited for you. Metal Obsessive Grade: 70% |