Everclear – ‘In A Different Light’ (429 Records)
CD Reviews
Written by Gaz E
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 22:28
“Forget about all the memories that keep you down”
I guess that it wouldn’t be too unreasonable to suggest that Art Alexakis has found himself, and his band Everclear, at a number of crossroads over the past several years. After the line-up that had seen the band hit their commercial peak disbanded after 2003’s ‘Slow Motion Daydream’ album, Alexakis has since dispensed with the entire band that he recruited to replace Craig Montoya and Greg Eklund, but not before ‘In A Different Light’ was in the can.
One look at the cover of ‘In A Different Light’ suggests that this album of re-recorded songs from Everclear’s back catalogue – and a couple of new tunes – takes the form of some kind of exorcism for Art. The similarities to a classic movie poster hit you in the face like pea-green vomit.
Now, these re-recorded albums are certainly acquired tastes where most bands are concerned. Take ‘This Left Feels Right’ by Bon Jovi, for example (I bought it for my wife – honest!). Their modern take on classic songs from their back catalogue produced fireworks….but not in the ass-kicking sense; the new versions were like cheap rockets that steal your attention for a matter of seconds, make you say “ooh”, then you get on with your life like nothing has happened. But that was a band that haven’t really written a new song in a decade; Everclear, on the other hand, have morphed into an entirely different musical entity during their career.
After being lumped in with the fledgling, then fashionable, grunge movement – arguably as much to do with Alexakis’s chemical smile as the sound of the band – Everclear grew into a band with a sound that could perhaps be best described as twisted Americana. The core of their songs are the lyrics of Art Alexakis, a wonderful lyricist with an ability to really paint a picture with his words. “People love to tell you things that will break your heart” he wrote, and probably none more so than Art himself who remains vastly underrated as a lyric writer.
With the band now sounding wholly different to the one that recorded ‘World Of Noise’ back in the early 90’s, you can understand the desire to go back and perhaps put the slant of today on some of those songs. Take ‘Fire Maple Song’ for example; although the acoustic version that appeared on ‘White Trash Hell’ may well have corrected some of the issues with the song that appeared on the debut album, the new version really brings it into line with the modern era of the band, with Alexakis’s vocals being markedly more polished nowadays.
I don’t really want to tag 1995’s ‘Sparkle And Fade’ as the breakout album but I guess that’s what it was. It is interesting to see that the two re-recorded songs from that album that appear here – ‘Santa Monica’ and ‘Summerland’ – run in consecutive order just like they did back then. ‘Santa Monica’ seems like an obvious choice for this new album; the original version sounding as much like a song from Everclear’s future as anything else from their earlier days. At least that’s what you’ll think until you hear the new version – this could certainly be a song from an American movie. ‘Summerland’ follows a similar path; a great song is a great song whatever the decade…
1997’s ‘So Much For The Afterglow’ – a transitional album, maybe? Awesome, all the same – is the record that is revisited the most on this new release, with no fewer than three of its songs re-recorded here. None of the new versions reinvent the wheel – thankfully – and are pretty much just excuses to hear some inspired music again. ‘Father Of Mine’ may have softer edges than the original but the words are still barbed. ‘Everything To Everyone’ is, simply, glorious in whatever form and ‘I Will Buy You A New Life’, although now more subtle, remains an anthem of hope and warms the heart.
When Everclear dared to be different at the dawn of a new decade, and century, and released two albums of all-new material, it was perhaps also the dawn of the band’s new sound. While ‘Volume Two’ of their ‘Songs From An American Movie’ set contained a suitable amount of angst and anger, ‘Volume One: Learning How To Smile’ contained incredible pieces of songwriting; songs that could break your heart and songs that could mend a broken heart. The new version of ‘Learning How To Smile’ may sound slightly different but the lifeblood of the song – the powerful and poignant lyrics – leaves a lump in your throat, a tear in your eye and a big fucking smile on your face. ‘Wonderful’…..well, the clue is in the title! The only song taken from the afore-mentioned ‘Volume Two’ (‘Good Time For A Bad Attitude’) is ‘Rock Star’ and it is possibly the tune that has changed the most in its new guise. Less heavy, less angry, yet no less infectious.
‘In A Different Light’ is not, however, purely about these re-recorded songs. There are two new songs that make the purchase of this release essential for even the most sceptical fan of the band. ‘At The End Of The Day’ and ‘Here Comes The Darkness’, the latter being an unused song from the sessions of 2006 album ‘Welcome To The Drama Club’, are a typical pair of modern Everclear songs that walk a blurred line between melancholia and uplifting exercises in hope.
I’m curious as to where Art Alexakis will go next. While he tours the US in support of this album with a completely new band, his next recorded move will be interesting to say the least. With the last two records being an album of cover versions – ‘The Vegas Years’ – and this, a set of re-imaginings, what could be next? An acoustic album? Now, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? In the meantime, buy ‘In A Different Light’, marvel at how Alexakis effortlessly seems to make his words leap out of the speakers, and enjoy the music of a great band.