Over the course of a half-dozen years or so, Everclear has evolved from a rather crude but well-meaning post-punk rock band to ambitious neo-Beatles tunesmiths-- an evolution that's been as successful as it has been surprising. In the process, bandleader/songwriter Art Alexakis has become something of a modern-rock Everyman, a guy who speaks his mind and rises in stature every time he does so. Rare, indeed.
Songs From An American Movie, the band's fourth album for Capitol Records, finds Alexakis and Everclear concerned about erecting huge pop edifices--big-sounding, highly arranged, almost bubblegum pop symphonies. It's never been the band's strong suit; they've always excelled at penning homespun, three-chord rock songs. But they do a pretty swift job of pulling off the tunes in this larger context, creating a barrage of likable, highly melodic, and immediately accessible material easy enough to hum along to, pleasant enough to leave on the player all day. Songs like the horn-peppered blast "AM Radio," the first single "Wonderful," with its na-na-na-na chorus, and the swirling, Mantovani-esque closer "Annabella's Song," hardly resemble the angry, aging-punk persona featured on albums like Sparkle And Fade. But they do possess a certain potency, a hefty dose of unpretentious charm--Alexakis's calling card--that serves the band well. It's a sizable risk, but one worth taking.
Of course, as with any risk there's a chance of failure, and Everclear is in constant danger of overstepping its bounds. Certainly on the dull, kitchen-sink version of Van Morrison's "Brown-Eyed Girl," and on the rather silly "Otis Redding," the band crosses the line. But for the most part, the risks pay off in the kinds of rewards Everclear deserves for keeping its music challenging and provocative. Look for Volume 2 in this series, the hard rock installment, later in the fall. Chances are that one might make a bit more sense.
All recordings courtesy of Capitol Records. All songs written by A. Alexakis and Everclear; courtesy of Irving Music, Inc./Evergleam Music/Montalupis Music/Commongreen Music (BMI).
