Everclear Album: “Songs From an American Movie Vol. 2: Good Times Fo”

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.

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.

This is good music. period. The first thing that struck me about this album was the design. Not just in the Cover, but the music itself. You can feel there is an overall purpose to the album, especially when played with it's sister disc, American Movie Pt 1. It's hard for me not to view these CD's as one big album, rather than an original, then a sequel. The first one was impressive, but it left me unsatisfied, not because the music was dull, only because it felt incomplete. Now that this follow-up came out, It all makes sense to me now. To be honest, I didn't even realize there was to be a Part 2. When I found out (after the release), I went immediately to the store and picked it up. Now these CD's will remain in my player indefinitely.

The thing that's great about this album, is while it has a darker tone and Faster/Harder tracks, the music/lyrics is still encouraging in a therapeutic kinda-way. Some of his songs are just for fun (Babytalk) or to tell a story, but you can also really relate to his writing (I have a little girl of my own, too). The writing is negative, but the message comes out positive. There is a sense of hope in it all. But what is really important, is that this album JAMS.

These CD's stand up by themselves, but really gel when played together. In fact, Do yourself a favor and pick up both discs (if you haven't already) and leave them in your changer. Or do like me, rip them off the CD's into MP3's on your computer and set them to shuffle-play. It will get you into a zone that cannot be compared. I'm a Graphic Designer and I seriously doubt that a current project I was working on would have been as good without these guys blasting in my head.

Well what are you waiting for? Go buy 'em.

I guess that is how I will sum this Songs from an American movie vol. 2... up. I don't know maybe it's just me but I love this album. I am not a person that easily gives five stars to an album, in fact some of my favorite albums only receive four stars. Anyways, this is a rock album. Meaning power chords abundant and alot of Art's patented "Oh's! and Yeah's!" But seriously this is an up tempo album, not as angry as World of noise or tracks like "heroin girl" from Sparkle and fade. Instead this album sounds like what it is, some middle age guys saying I'm going to turn this way up and throw a tantrum for fourty minutes. This is the album I use to introduce my friends to everclear, I know most people will use the argument that sparkle and world were better, but this is far more accessible and toungue and cheek. I mean come on the chorus in "babytalk" is "she's got you by the balls!" try not to sing that all day long. The one thing that I feel I should mention is what a gem the song "good witch" is. I almost break into tears when I hear it. It is a song about that love that is almost within reach. One that if you are in that situation you will feel. I love Everclear and hope that they attempt more albums in this spirit instead of whatever the heck Slow motion daydream is. Thank you for your time.

I had been waiting for this album to be released down here in the land down under for ages. 4 months later after the american release date it's finally here. I rush to the record store & buy it. I totally love Everclear & Volume 2 is bloody fantastic & the title "Good Time For A Bad Attitude" is so AWESÜM!

Volume 1 is also worth having. Yes I know the argument concerned there is "oh it's 2 pop" bla bla bla...etc. The fact of the matter is it still has great songs & to be honest I went & bought that Cd after just hearing the 1 song "Wonderful" mainly because all of us can relate to this at some time or another. Standouts in Volume 1 includes tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, & 11.

Now as for Volume 2 one can listen to it over & over again. All songs are brilliant. I love the mellow (slow) songs on it too. It's really hard to pick a favourte track from this album. You have the likes of "Slide", "Rock Star", "The Good Witch Of The North", "Overwhelming", "Songs From An American Movie pt. 2" & so on.

All in all this is well worth the $$$ & I do not understand why so many of you out there don't have this in your collection yet buy a great rockin' band.

Before I finish up here, just a note to Everclear if you're reading this please please please release your cd's down here the same time that you do in the states if possible. That would be great. Thanx. ¦¬Þ