90’s alternative rock holds a special place in my heart for a variety of reasons— it’s the almost comically distorted guitars, the undeniable influence of pop music, and the punk-like aggressiveness of the drums that make everything sound big and heavy, and lyrical themes that frankly pull no punches in the story they’re trying to tell. 90’s alternative is fun and dynamic, an era where bands recorded the majority of their music live but began to truly take advantage of digital tools that allowed them to add in different instruments like organs and keyboards and horns to add some weight to the overall sound without falling prey to overproduction.
Everclear’s So Much For The Afterglow is a great example of what 90’s alternative was all about. Peek under the hood of a lot of lead singer Art Alexakis’ songs and you’ll find some pretty depressing stories that are being told, obscured with the silky sheen of pop hooks and catchy melodies. From the biographical story of his father abandoning him as a child (“Father of Mine”), small-town girl meets the big-city descent into drug use (“Amphetamine”), a desperate desire to fit in with popular trends (“Everything to Everyone”), and another autobiographical tale of growing up poor (“I Will Buy You A New Life”), Everclear doesn’t pull any punches.
The lyrics are honest, told directly without over indexing on metaphors to drive home a point, and get to the point immediately. Quite simply, they are unabashedly a reflection of the human condition. And I absolutely love it for that.
Standout Songs: “I Will Buy You A New Life”, “Father Of Mine”, “El Distorto De Melodica”
