Artist: EverclearAlbum: The Vegas Years
Label: Capitol Records
Released: 4/15/2008
I’d be the first to say I was skeptical of a covers album. Rarely does a band release an entire album of other artists’ material and have it leave a lasting impression. This release has a bit of “a way to bridge a gap between albums” feel to it, but at the same time, it serves as a bit of retrospective for the band. For Everclear, The Vegas Years has its ups and downs, but doesn’t feel completely out of place.
After losing a bit of their thunder from the middle to late 90’s, the band has undergone some lineup changes, but with lead singer/songwriter Art Alexakis still in the mix, the band’s sound has largely remained the same. Although these are all covers, the band is able to put their touch on a number of the songs. I think that with the eclectic mix of songs on this album, everyone will find a least one or two songs that are enjoyable. I definitely think the live Van Morrison cover is the best (it captures the energy of the crowd effectively), but other standouts include “Our Lips are Sealed” and “The Boys are Back in Town”. I could have done without the novelty, theme song covers, and a few of the slower songs, but it does offer variety.
Personally, I would say I was underwhelmed by this release. It is not a bad album, but it doesn’t really give me anything to remember it by or a reason to want to listen to over and over again. Everclear is still a solid rock band, even if their peak was 10 years ago. While The Vegas Years may have been a nice change of pace for the band, I hope they stick to their own material for future releases.
Note: All scores are based on the Everclear version of the songs. Lyrics were not taken into account during scoring.
Musicianship: 70
Vocals: 75
Creativity: 55
Impact: 35
Favorite Song: “Brown Eyed Girl”
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