Everclear - American Movie 2 Good Time for Bad Attitude (12 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

"Sometimes I am happy just to be alive"

r-rock44 | Kennewick, WA United States | 11/22/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, it is finally out! I have been patiently waiting for this album. You could say I am a big Everclear fan (not a freak that knows all about the band and tracks their every move). I just like the band, been to a few shows (on a side note they really do rock, a lot harder/heavier in concert)So, back to the CD. I have been waiting because in a way Songs Vol. 1 was a little too "poppy" for me. I like the CD, but it sort of went away from their past. Art promised that this CD (Songs Vol 2) would be a lot more heavy (not like Limp or Korn) but like hard rock of the days of old. It is safe to say that musically the band return to its roots. I think most would agree that Sparkle and Fade is their best album(...I might argue for World of Noise...but that's a different topic) This album musically is quite loud, guitars racing and drums beating! There are a few softer/ I should say mellower songs like SHORT BLONDE HAIR, OUT OF MY DEPTH, THE GOOD WITCH..., and OVERWHELMING. They all start off a little soft, but soon build to a tedious rage. The heaviest songs on the album is All F**KED UP and WHEN IT ALL...Another thing I would like to comment on is the lyrics. Lyrically they are strong...but a little different. What first attracted me to Everclear was Art's great lyrics. In the past he seems to tell stories about situations from his past or about people he knew. Art has the knack of telling stories that his large fan base can relate too. In Songs Vol 2, Art does things a little different. He seems to repeat the theme of his inner demons and how he is starting to accept them and deal with it. The best way he confides is a new love("You help me keep it all/ from slipping away" -GOOD WITCH) and his young daughter Annabella. In fact, in every song you will find the use of the pronoun "I". It seems to me that this album is the long lost SOLO project that Art scrap some time back. In a way this can be a negative or a positive...depends on if you can relate or if you get sick of hearing Art bitch (personally, I can still relate to his feelings)In sum, the album does deliver...it is a lot harder and a lot more like earlier albums then Songs Vol 1. My favorite song would be Overwhelming. Others that stick out are WHEN IT ALL..., SLIDE, MISERY WHIP, OUT OF MY DEPTH(in my opinion all great) Fans might also like the lyrically ironic...but not too ironic ROCK STAR and the tie in (both musically and lyrically) SONG FROM AN AMERICAN MOVIE Pt 2 to Pt 1 (Vol 1).Personally, I like all songs. On a last note the weakest song is Baby Talk. Musically (guitars, drums) it really rocks. Perhaps, would have been better as an instrumental. Art does bitch...but you will notice (the CD is a smiley face...not a frowning like vol 1) that he has accepted his past and is ready to move on..."Sometimes I am happy just to be alive" -SONG Pt 2 I GIVE IT A STAR RATING OF 4.5 OUT OF 5! FANS GO GET THE ALBUM...YOU SHOULD LIKE IT."

The Words From An American Movie

Colin | bay area, ca | 11/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a companion piece to vol. 1 learning how to smile you can tell just by comparing the titles which one is the darker one. Good Time For A Bad Attitude takes this feeling into the music too. Gone are the acoustic guitars and ukeleles and stuff in volume one, instead be prepared for a blistering attack of electric guitars, pounding bass, and drums being smacked so hard they should break. Picking off where vol. 1 left off, GTFABA goes into the despair and self-pity of just being through a break-up. Everything is not 'Wonderful' again and Art attacks not only himself (Slide) but the people in relationships (Babytalk) and dreams about being famous (Rock Star) and getting girls he knows he can't (Out of My Depth). Finally after the ultimate guilt trip (All... Up) he has a realization to rise above it all (Overwhelming) and finally brings the whole story full circle (Song From an American Movie Pt.2) All this is done with crunching guitars to produce the noisiest album Everclear has made. Very much recommended, if you have vol.1 you need this to complete the story and if you don't have vol.1 then buy them both at the same time."

Another fine work of Art*

Adam W. Smith | Kansas City | 11/24/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"*and Craig and Greg. Everclear's 5th full-length album, the follow-up to "Songs from an American Movie Vol. 1, Learning How To Smile" is a harder, more musically aggressive outing than its predecessor, but it's just as good, maybe slightly better. It's just as accessible as the first one, but in a different way. The sound isn't quite as poppy, but the term CATCHY, MELODIC ROCK DONE WITH HEART AND CARE applies here. It works well as a whole, and has great individual moments. Here's a track by track breakdown:"When It All Goes Wrong Again" is fast-paced and rocks out pretty hard. It's the first single, and the main theme here, from what I gather, is feeling optimistic and pessimistic at the same time about life."Slide" opens with a sweet guitar lick and evolves into a tight, RAWK song that is going to sound great live."Babytalk" opens with a fonkay Sly & the Family Stone-type riff and the lyrics are mostly spoken. More or less, it's a complaint on how some guys change their demeanor when their girlfriend is near/on the phone. Another rocker that's gonna sound great live."Rock Star" is one of my faves on here so far. It's a mocking take on wanting to be a rock star, and, musically, it's one of a good number of songs on here that remind me why I got real into this group in the first place (note: check out the little guitar solo in the middle. Way cool.)"Short Blonde Hair", lyrically, is sort of the anti-"Rock Star", it's a nice juxtaposition putting the 2 songs back to back. This wouldn't have sounded out of place on "Sparkle and Fade". "Misery Whip" is another fearless rocker that has some great riffs and seems to, lyrically, have an escaping from ordinary life/S&M theme."Out of my Depth" opens with acoustic guitar and whistles, rocks out, and returns with an outro similar to the intro. A good, solid song."The Good Witch of the North" is a short, incredibly sweet ode to a very special woman. A nice, very "..Vol. 1"-ish ballad."Halloween Americana" is an instrumental with some great guitar work. Not as good an instrumental as "El Distorto de Melodica", but fits in well with the rest of the CD."All F**ked Up" is a punky, confessional about realizing you're destroying yourself."Overwhelming" isn't my favorite track on here, but it's good. It's a midtempo number that fits in well with the rest of the CD."Song From An American Movie Pt. 2" is a continuation from the first track on "...Vol. 1". It's longer, a little different, but makes a great closer to this two-part concept of Art's.Overall, this is a great album. It's a nice return to form, of sorts, if you want to call it that. It's louder, a little more aggressive, and keeps with the theme nicely of "...Vol. 1". It's the kind of album I'm sure Art really wanted to do at this point of his life. It not only manages to continue expanding Everclear's sound, but also feeds the cravings of more loud, melodic, Cheap Trick-ish ROCK and confessional lyrics that many Everclear fans have been waiting for. If you like ANY of Everclear's albums, this is highly recommended. ""

Hard Rock? Yeah we can do that too...

J. DEATS | Houston, TX USA | 12/31/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Listening to this CD is refreshing for many reasons, not only do I get to hear great songs from the heavy side of Everclear (that side that made their early CDs so great), but I also get some reinforcement that one of my favorite bands still believes in their craft.Everclear has [guts] to put out an album like this after releasing two very popish CDs "So Much For The Afterglow" and earlier this year "Songs From An American Movie Vol. 1". The CD contrast well with the Vol 1. showing both sides of this truely brilliant band that seems to continue to evolve without "selling out", how commendable.I keep listening in disbelief thinking... wow, have there been any bands that could consistantly crank out excellent CDs like this since (gasp.. The Beatles). I only draw this comparison because, like the Beatles I find it extreemly hard to tell you which Everclear CD is my favorite they are all extreemly good albums. If you are a fan of rock music, you will like Everclear. Buying Songs From An American Movie Vols 1. and 2. is a good way to sample what they are capable of."

How does Everclear do this?!

Jeff Campbell | Warminster, PA, United States | 12/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I want to know the secret that Art Alexakis, Craig Montoya, and Greg Eklund are keeping from us: That is, how to write such incredible music? There is not one bad song on this CD, much like Vol. 1. If you like hard rock, there is When It All Goes Wrong Again, Haloween Americana, and Misery Whip. If you like ballads, then there is The Good Witch of the North. Like punk rock? All F**cked up, Slide, and Rock Star will take care of that. And, as a final farewell to the Songs From... series, there is Song From An American Movie, Pt 2. This is undoubtedly the best song on the CD. With a melody the same as the first Song From An American Movie, except on guitars instead of mandolins and ukuleles, it is twice as expressive, and three times as long. If there is one CD you buy that Everclear has put out, let it be this one. Enjoy."

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