Everclear - Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile
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Music CD Cover
Artist: EverclearEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2000-07-11
Music Label: Capitol
Soundtracks:
- Song from an American Movie, Pt. 1
- Here We Go Again
- A.M. Radio
- Brown Eyed Girl - Everclear, Morrison, Van
- Learning How to Smile
- The Honeymoon Song - Everclear, Eklund
- Now That It's Over
- Thrift Store Chair
- Otis Redding
- Unemployed Boyfriend
- Wonderful
- Annabella's Song
Free Music Notes for Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile
Free Music Review: 4.5 stars, a near-perfect pop album
Hit: 5 Stars
It's pretty rare that I pick up a mainstream pop album. I'm not knocking it, but my tastes tend to run more towards metal and classic rock. Anyway, I took a chance on Everclear's 2000 release Songs from an American Movie, Volume 1 - Learning How to Smile based on the strength of the radio hits Wonderful and A.M. Radio, and was surprised at just how much I enjoyed the album.
I was familiar with the band, but the material on this album definitely wasn't the alterna-rocking Everclear I remembered. This is a smart, well-crafted, upbeat pop album that despite what some other reviewers would have you believe actually contains little to no "filler". In fact, aside from the way too tranquil closing track Annabella's Song, the hit single Wonderful is probably the only song that I'm tired of hearing, and that's due more to radio fatigue than anything else. The album is crammed full of fantastic songs, but there are a few that really stand out. A.M. Radio is just a fun track, Now That It's Over is brilliant for having such a dark message in counterpoint to the beautiful music, and Unemployed Boyfriend is one of the better love songs I've heard in a long time. Everclear's version of Brown Eyed Girl is quite good as well.
It's a shame the band's follow-up album wasn't as good, or I might have become an Everclear fan. Still, I have to give the band credit for creating a near-perfect pop album that I find myself listening to on a regular basis seven years after its release. How often does that happen with most pop albums?
Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile Poster
Reminiscences permeate the dozen diverse tracks that populate Everclear's fourth outing. The trio, spearheaded by writer/guitarist/producer Art Alexakis, looks back in myriad ways on Songs from an American Movie. Alexakis skillfully and sweetly addresses his recent divorce ("The Honeymoon Song," "Now That's It's Over"), musical heroes ("Otis Redding"), and childhood ("AM Radio"), frequently matching his words with suitably retro music. Although the only cover is a new-wave take on Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl," familiar musical references abound. On "AM Radio," a brief sample of "Mr. Big Shot" sets the tone for funky flashback fun, while "The Honeymoon Song" is full of Brian Wilson inflections. Alexakis references his own "Everything to Everyone" in the title track, while "Otis Redding," "Unemployed Boyfriend," and "Wonderful" are more commercial alt-rock Everclear than homage Everclear. Alexakis set out to make a pop album, and while millennial teenagers have their own definition of "pop," for '70s-kid Alexakis, Songs from an American Movie serves as a summertime soundtrack to his thirtysomething life. --Katherine TurmanAlternative Rock Music CDs
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