Everclear - Songs From An American Movie Vol. 1 and 2

If you still listen to "So Much For the Afterglow," get "Songs From An American Movie Vol 1." Even if you don't still listen to "Sparkle and Fade" anymore, get 'Songs From An American Movie Vol 2.' If you have even the slightest craving for that classic Everclear guitar romp riff, then buy them both and rotate them on repeat. They will have you smiling and rocking to the beat regardless of whether or not you want to.

The two CD's stand well on their own as well as compliment each other like peanut butter and jelly. Everclear has again shown that their formula for compelling heads to bob involuntarily is just as powerful as ever. The band released both these albums in sequence, spaced out over last year.

Neither album has been seriously picked through by radio stations as of yet. Of course, hearing the one song from Vol 1 that spent major time on the airwaves will give you no idea as to what the rest of the album is like. "AM Radio" which you may have heard, has the jump-up-and-down guitar-based beat that is heavily reminiscent of past albums, however, it sticks out like a bright yellow thumb among the rest of the tracks. It is so upbeat and solidly fused with "Mr. Big Stuff," that it stands apart from the rest of the big, slow rock anthems and ballads.

The fact that the track that immediately follows is a cover of the Van Morrison song, "Brown Eyed Girl" does not help. I'm still making up my mind about this particular cover. On one hand, it seems like a very sincere and wonderful hats-off to his younger days and music he loves. On the other hand, I don't think I like it. It's growing on me a little as I listen to the CD again, but it just may have something to do with the fact that I was sick of the original.

Vol. 1 is, in a phrase, a nostalgic, romantic rock jaunt through the thirty-something life of lead singer, Art Alexakis. Each song is like a window into a part of his life with a slightly sad, yet triumphant anthem quality. This should sound familiar as I repeatedly felt a strangely nostalgic for the memories I had listening to 'So Much For the Afterglow.' This begs to mention the quality transitions in between albums. Although it may seem that beginning with 'Sparkle and Fade,' the band seems to take a dramatic lull in the force of their rock; it was just enough to make you start to really crave some angry ranting by the end of Vol 1. Unlike a lot of bands that put out a lot of random mix of albums, there isn't just one CD that spends all of its time in your CD changer, leaving no room for the rest. They're all excellent. For the truly distinguished rock connoisseur, the complete Everclear album collection is key.

Not only does the tone of the albums compliment their successors, but between Vol 1 and Vol 2, there is a direct connection in the respect that the latter is a "well-screw-that" response to the situations described in the former. Everclear puts me in a really good mood. I think it could be said about Everclear in general that they have the amazing ability to just crank up the feel-good without sacrificing musicality, content, or by selling out into an experimental style. They have a sound that you can recognize in three notes or less. I wouldn't say that all their songs sound the same, and I insist that people who do, have either not listened closely enough, or have forgotten what it's like to really love something. If you like Everclear's old stuff, you will like these albums. Period.