Search - Smash Mouth :: Astro Lounge

A great CD for Alternative Fans

themandgman | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 02/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After "Walking on the Sun" became one of my favorite singles in the summer of 98' I decided to buy Fush Yu Mang. Boy was I suprised, the rest of the CD sounded nothing like it. Well, when I first heard All Star, I loved it, but after hearing it 10 gazillion times like everyone in the country and seeing it displayed in the horrid "Mystery Men" movie, I was cautious to buy Astro Lounge, but, that money I had (which was only about 20 bucks) was burning a hole in my pocket and I got the CD. To my suprise, the rest of the CD DID sound like All Star, which made me happy. This CD has several great songs destined to be singles such as "Diggin Your Scene", "Stoned", and "Come On, Come On". But it also has the songs you've heard bizzilions of times, and your little brother ill-faitedly try to sing (am I the only one whos heard is brother get half the words right trying to sing All Star?) like "than the morning comes" and of cours "all star". But, if you like your alternative music, and want a CD destined to have a few more singles, pick this baby up. JUST TRY TO AVOID ALL STAR!"

Absolutely Awesome

Smash Mouth Fan | Music Land | 02/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Never before has a group made so many amazingly catchy songs on one album alone. "All Star" is definitely the lead song on this album. Though its overplayed now, it still rules. It's not Smash Mouth's fault the song is overplayed, its our fault. Because we love it so much. Then of course there's "Diggin' Your Scene" and "Then the Morning Comes" and the retro-style "Can't Get Enough Of You Baby". This CD is great for anyone of any age. No Explicit Content like their first album "Fush Yu Mang" had. And for Smash Mouth fans who say they "sold out", there's a new CD amazon.com is carrying by Smash Mouth called "East Bay Sessions" where they return to their usual style of punk rock. Anyways, if you loved "Walkin' on the Sun", you'll love Smash Mouth's follow-up to the success of that song."

Sonic adventures found in Smash Mouth's "Astro Lounge"

John Jones | Chicago IL | 03/23/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In 1997, pop fans found the old bait-and-switch scam approach hard at work. The irresistible pop groove of Smash Mouth's unavoidable radio hit "Walkin on the Sun" sent two or three million people running to their local record store only to find the song was the band's exception, not the rule. The surprise many felt upon discovering a frantic ska/metal set is reflected in how many copies of "Fu Shu Mang" you can find at your local used CD store (chances are, quite a few...Amazon alone has over 80). But Smash Mouth knows a make-it-or-break-it opportunity when they see one, and their sophomore effort, "Astro Lounge," finds the band evolving their sound, remaining true to their core energetic sound but also nodding to what sells without selling out.Although the record moves smoothly through several different genres, the main focus is on all things 60's (hunky guitarist Greg Camp, who wrote 11 of the album's songs and co-wrote another three, is obviously a major Kinks fan). This retro spirit, perfectly suited to Steve Harwell's limited but undeniably likable vocals, is found immediately on the frantically-paced pair of songs that kick the album off, the swirlingly psychedelic "Who's There" (is that a thermin?!?) and the organ-laced, beach party-ready "Diggin Your Scene." Both cuts are percussively unstoppable, but the killer hooks have just as much kick. More 60's summertime grooves are found on two of the album's singles, the similarly-driven but completely distinguishable "Then the Morning Comes" and "Can't Get Enough of You Baby." The approach even works on slower fare, as the "Satellite" mixes surf with lounge and even tosses in a touch of calypso just for the hell of it...with glorious, entrancing results.But while Smash Mouth is more than comfortable in their time warp, they aren't trapped there. The hip-hoppy "I Just Wanna See" feels pointedly more modern, with the grainy drum track and straightfoward guitar mix giving a quirky, demo-like feel. The wistful ballad "Waste" uses retro production touches (a tremelo guitar here, a vibraphone there), but the overall composition and it's groove are definitely here and now. Another melting pot is the smash single "All Star," starting out as a bubbly, electronica-laced pop number before the chorus offers a forceful rock boost...pretty catchy for a song that addresses ecological concerns in a sieze-the-day lyric.Not every moment is a compelling listen, however. "Radio" and "Come On Come On" both have energy to burn, but the flimsy hooks go in one ear and out the other. And while most pop bands or artists try to go reggae at some point, "Road Man" is proof that adventurous expeditions don't always lead somewhere (and a faux Jamaican accent isn't required for the trip, either). "Home" starts off interestingly enough, with a slinky groove and juxtaposed guitar parts, and its lyric certainly has some interesting things to say about fame ("what do you do when opportunity knocks/do you open the door or watch in horror through the peephole/lottery or poverty, you're a commodity") but the track just ends up sounding spooky and doesn't inspire repeat listens. But on a fifteen-track lineup, you're bound to find a few shortcomings, and here they're certainly not enough to weigh down the sum total. Managing to be all over the map musically and still funnel it down to one endearing, commercial result, Smash Mouth proves with "Astro Lounge" that not all things commercial are sellouts, and this is one retro-rock pop band that has plenty of time left in their artistic hourglass. Besides, who wants to be king of the used CD store?"