Capitol
2004
Ten Years Gone: The Best of Everclear 1994-2004
About This Album
Everclear, or more specifically their lead singer/songwriter Art Alexakis, were a little more ambitious than the rest of the second-wave grunge bands. They weren't tied to the all-guitars, all-the-time aesthetic, leaping to incorporate synths into their sound on So Much for the Afterglow, their 1997 follow-up to their 1995 breakthrough Sparkle and Fade, and they also released a two-part concept album in 2000s twin records Songs From an American Movie. Alexakis had a broader world view than a lot of the angst-ridden grungers. Perhaps because he was a little bit older than his peers, he approached subjects like parental relationships ("Father of Mine") and marriage ("I Will Buy You a New Life") with a nuanced touch, which not only gave them a distinct personality, but opened up doors at adult alternative radio. For as often as Everclear touched on this sensitive spin on grunge, they just as often -- if not more frequently -- went for easy social commentary, silly jokes or vulgarity, as epitomized by "Volvo Driving Soccer Mom" which pulls off the hat trick. They also could fall on their face musically, reaching too far or trying too hard for a hit, as they did on the unabashed exercise in '70s nostalgia "AM Radio," which was delivered about seven years too late.
Track List (try tracks 7,8,10,14 and 18)

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