EVERCLEAR

Songs From An American Movie, Vol. II: Good Time For A Bad Attitude [Capitol Records]

I’m sure Everclear weren’t always this dumb. I’m not a major fan, but I dimly recall some half-decent indie-rock tunes emanating from their direction in the mid-nineties. Then again, frontman Art Alexakis entered the rock and roll fray relatively late in life, at the age of thirty, so maybe he’s done with mature. They’ve either regressed or their current style is coincidentally right on time to fit in with the nu-metal new kids. Last year’s Songs From An American Movie Volume 1 was subtitled Learning How To Smile, and featured softer songs about how much Art loves his little daughter and so on, so they’ve obviously saved all the angsty juvenile ranting for Part Two. The sleevenotes comment that this is the first Everclear album to require a parental advisory sticker due to obscene language, and songs like ‘All Fucked Up,’ ‘Rock Star’ and ‘Babytalk’ (“He talks crazy whenever she calls/she’s got him by the balls”) are lyrically-stunted white-trash whinges. ‘Rock Star’ (the ‘I wanna be a rock star and be on MTV’ number) is a catchy pop song, golden-showered with irony, but it’s been done a million times before by bands inexperienced enough to believe they’re being clever and groundbreaking. This album is either a collection of the bands rougher, less-crafted songs herded together because they adhere to a convenient style and theme, or else a calculated attempt to corner the nu-metal market. Either way, best avoided.

Fiona Reid