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Sparkle and Fade

Everclear - Sparkle and Fade Audio CD

A fair review of the Everclear "Sparkle and Fade" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Everclear reviews here, or go back to the Everclear tabs.

Band: Everclear
Title: Sparkle and Fade
Rating:

Release Date: 1995-05-23
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Electra Made Me Blind 2: Heroin Girl 3: You Make Me Feel Like a Whore 4: Santa Monica 5: Summerland 6: Strawberry 7: Heartspark Dollarsign 8: Twistinside 9: Her Brand New Skin 10: Nehalem 11: Queen of the Air 12: Pale Green Stars 13: Chemical Smile 14: My Sexual Life

this album is awesome
this is James Miessler. any fan of music needs to listen to this album. im almost 20 now, but back in the day i saw Everclear live and actually went on stage and played with their drummer (Greg Eklund). they kicked ass then, and they kicked ass back when they released this album. its one of my favorites ever, just about every song on this album is awesome, especially the opening and finishing tracks. GET IT BY ANY MEANS!!.

Sparkle and Fade
I've since gone more the indie music route and pop music doesn't tend to interest me much, but Sparkle and Fade holds a special place for me. I got this album when it came out (I was in high school). I think Everclear's best albums are World of Noise and Sparkle and Fade. Although, I haven't heard any of the post-so much for the afterglow era. They sort of lost what they captured with Sparkle and Fade, and I lost interest. Anyway, this album is a great blend of post-punk, post-grunge rock with a slight tinge of alt-country and rockabilly sensibilities/influences you can pick up on if you're paying attention. The songwriting here is the pinnacle for Everclear. I think they should have stuck to their punk/rock roots, and remained a guitar driven band with no frills. The albums that came after this were over-produced and a lot of it has seemed like they wanted people to dance to it, and they became this sort of bubblegum pop group. That's where I tuned out. At any rate, this is one of those albums I must have listened to a million times, one that really takes me back, but still sounds fresh and new every time I hear it. For me, it's one of the best albums of the 90s from any rock band, and should be an addition to any music-lovers catalogue. .

If you want to experience some intensity........!
Art has the uncanny ability to capture gritty, everyday moments and portray them with an angry and intelligent honesty. "So Much for the Afterglow" is a great album but, "Sparkle and Fade" is stellar! Anyone that has ever felt "lost" or "mixed up" will connect with this album. This is not relaxation music, nor is it music for those who like to keep their rose colored glasses on. "Sparkle and Fade" is intense and it resonates long after the music is over. "Summerland" and "Strawberry Burns" are two of my favorites on the album. Art is not a great singer, but he is a masterful story-teller and his raw vocal style only enhances the effect. .

Superb in All Aspects
It was actually one of the first discs I ever purchased; the music came to me at the perfect age -- a time in my life when I was realizing who I am and who I'd like to become. "Sparkle and Fade" was my introduction to Everclear, and a good one at that. This music not only served as the soundtrack to my teenage years, but also helped to shape and mold them into years that I look back on with fond memories. Art Alexakis is at his lyrical best on this album, utilizing the proper words at the right spots to punctuate and accentuate his message. The music gains a lot of impact from the manner in which the words are sung. Each track is placed in the correct position to allow for proper reminiscence and reflection during the course of listening. I could not have chosen a more perfect album to introduce me to the world of music. And since not every track is a radio single, the album is still listenable all these many years later.

Brilliant Song Writing and Musical Range make for Everclear's Best
It paints a vibrant story throughout the album that draws you in for a rollercoaster ride of sounds and emotions. To date this is one of the best albums I've ever heard and imo the best rock album to come out of the 90s. The musical range and songwriting is second to none only downshadowed by a couple of misses.

Track 1 "Electra Made Me Blind" - This song is a fitting starter to the album that grabs you by the balls and simply tells you you're in for a hell of a ride, a simple straight up hard rock song, nothing more, nothing less: **** four stars

Track 2 "Heroin Girl" - This song takes you into an even deeper darker and harder rock, gripping lyrics and pounding guitars leave you at the edge of your seat. **** four stars

Track 3 "You Make Me Feel Like a Whore" - One of my favorites, this song eases up a bit, but the in your face lyrics and guitar rythm make it unforgettable. ***** five stars

Track 4 "Santa Monica" - The musical range takes a turn as we hear a softer rock song, that's warm and radio friendly with its unforgettable almost "country like" guitar hook and good time lyrics, if i could choose one song to sum up the album to someone who has never heard Sparkle and Fade this would be it. ***** five stars

Track 6 "Strawberry" - This song continues on with the drug theme that we first saw in "Heroin Girl" with no percussion, this song is almost like a calm after the thrashing storm of Heroin Girl. **** four stars

Track 5 "Summerland" - I whole heartidly believe this is the type of sound that Everclear should have continued working on as it brings the basic sounds we heard on their first independent grunge album "World of Noise" to the more mainstream songs found on this album, Art (lead singer/guitarist) has noted that this is his favorite Everclear song, and with good reason. ***** five stars

Track 7 "Heartspark Dollarsign" - A great rock pop song that I still can't see why it didn't catch on. This song whole heartidly takes us back to the topic of relationships found in previous songs. ***** five stars

Track 8 "The Twistinside" - This song has two faces to it, it starts off innocent and gets harder near the end, think of it as a mix of strawberry at the beginning and heroin girl at the end, a little repepative but i really like the lyrics on this one. **** four stars

Track 9 "Her Brand New Skin" - Our first miss of the record. So far on the album Everclear has spand several types of rock based music and they did it with great success, this track however kicks off a downside to the album: Punk Rock. I've never seen Everclear as a Punk Band, as well they shouldn't be. This song lacks content and structure, feels like it is just thrown together with no cause or place in the album. ** two stars

Track 10 "Nehalem" - Same as "Her Brand New Skin" no structure content or point, the punk is just out of place. ** two stars

Track 11 "Queen of the Air" - A mellow song with slightly distorted melodies, a heartfelt song reminiscent to another great "Fire Maple Song" off of "World of Noise", although it embodies that classic, it fell a little short of a masterpiece. **** four stars

Track 12 "Pale Green Stars" - The second hint of country appears in this song. A softer song about girly stuff, yadda yadda, something Everclear really shouldn't be relating to. *** three stars

Track 13 "Chemical Smile" - see track 9 and 10 for details. ** two stars

Track 14 "My Sexual Life" - Great Closer for the album, a beautiful melodic song once again about relationships that closes one hell of a ride. **** four stars

I believe the only downfall to the album's enternal greatness were the punkesque songs that failed me on every level, other than that it was by far the best MAINSTREAM Everclear Album, if you haven't already got this album, what in the hell are you waiting for? - word

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You can see a complete list of all Everclear discography, or go back to the Everclear tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.