Sparkle and Fade
became a surprise hit thanks to
"Santa Monica,"
a gritty, infectious
grunge
hit that captured
Everclear
at their best. Like many
and
post-grunge
rockers, however,
's leader,
Art Alexakis
, felt constrained by his modest success and its implications, deciding to take his band in new experimental directions for their follow-up album,
So Much for the Afterglow
. As the title suggests -- as well as song titles like
"One Hit Wonder,"
"White Men in Black Suits,"
"Everything to Everyone"
--
Alexakis
is feeling a bit ambivalent about his success, believing that it's only a transient thing. He may be right --
lacks anything as catchy as
"Santa Monica."
He attempts to compensate by adding a more elaborate production, complete with
Beach Boy
harmonies and guest musicians. The result sounds cluttered, not symphonic, and distracts from
's strength as a straight-ahead
trio. There are several songs on the album that do showcase the group at their best, but they aren't enough to excuse the confused attempts at progression that make
a muddled affair. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine