Album: “Astro Lounge”

Description

Smash Mouth: Greg Camp (vocals, guitar); Paul DeLisle (vocals, bass); Steve Harwell (vocals); Kevin Coleman (drums). <p>Additional personnel: D.J. Homicide; John Gove (trombone); Eric Valentine (keyboards, vibraphone); Michael Klooster (keyboards); Dana Pfeifer (xylophone). <p>Recorded at HOS, Redwood City, California. <p>"All Star" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. <p>When Smash Mouth hit with the impossibly catchy "Walking on the Sun," many dismissed them as a one-hit wonder, but ASTRO LOUNGE finds the band bidding for a longevity that belies flash-in-the-pan accusations. Raspy, Richard Butler-ish vocals ride roughshod over carefully arranged but driving alt-rock. The fuzzed-out riff, syncopated beat, and '60s organ of "Diggin' Your Scene" are slightly reminiscent of the aforementioned monster hit, but that's just because those are some of the most significant weapons in the band's arsenal. '90s electronic touches, loops and samples brush up against those '60s influences with surprising success, and there's even a bit of late-'70s/early-'80s new wave thrown into the mix for good measure. It's all held together by inventive production and consistently solid, catchy songwriting.