When Smashmouth hit the limelight six years ago with ‘Walkin’ On The Sun’, few anticipated that the group would enjoy such a remarkable degree of longevity. Although 1997 was the year of “the great ska resurgence” - with other reggae-influenced white-boys like Reel Big Fish and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones also gatecrashing the mainstream charts - it was assumed that Smashmouth were the runts of the litter and that their star would burn out as rapidly as it ascended.
Instead, thanks to a succession of high-profile soundtrack tie-ins - including songs for Austin Powers, Inspector Gadget and, most notably, a cover of ‘I’m A Believer’ for Shrek - Smashmouth have outlasted the majority of their contemporaries, demonstrating an uncanny knack for highly infectious, crowd-pleasing skate-punk along the way.
The band’s third album, Get The Picture?, is something of a return to their sun-drenched west coast rock roots, eschewing as it does the decidedly ill-advised sonic experimentation of recent times.
The album kicks off as it means to go on with a couple of bracing high-energy numbers, ‘Get On’ and ‘Always Gets Her Way’. First single ‘You Are My Number One’ sways along on a lilting reggae rhythm, the supremely attitudinal ‘Looking For A Wall’ features some angular, spiky axe-work from guitarist Greg Camp, whilst the closing trio of songs - ‘105’, ‘Fun’ and ‘New Planet’ - bring Get The Picture to an appropriately uproarious close.
Smashmouth certainly aren’t reinventing the wheel, but their cheerful din is a hell of lot easier on the ear than Sum 41’s whiney ramblings.