Astro Lounge
()
By
[]Smash Mouth
"Astro Lounge"(Interscope)Rating: ***1/2
In the same vein: 311, Sublime, Sugar Ray.What a smashing loud-mouthed group this is! Who would have imagined that Smash Mouth could stay creative after their larger-than-life, in-your-face hit single"Walking On The Sun?"The second album from this San Jose quartet is a wild side-trip to the hip '60s. In fact, the link to the '60s retro sound is so strong that this could easily pass off as the soundtrack to"Austin Powers."On"Astro Lounge,"Smash Mouth continue their musical rampage with loads of fun and humor piled atop hip tracks such as"Who's There"(a dig at"The X-Files") and"Road Man"(a cheeky story about a reckless driver). An obvious favorite would be the album's first single"All Star,"which addresses the issues of fame and fortune in a delightful, lighthearted manner. To ensure success on the airwaves, there is also a tailored-for-radio track entitled (what else?)"Radio."In it, big-lunged frontman Steve Harwell questions the rollercoaster ride of rock 'n' roll fame:"Who did you know coming up? Who will you know going down?"On the track"Wasted,"Smash Mouth sounds almost like a moodier version of The Beatles -- an achievement that would probably put groups like Oasis to shame. The head-banging classic on this album has to be the rousing chant of"Come On Come On,"perfect for a summer season of football. Smash Mouth's remake of Question Mark and the Mysterians'"Can't Get Enough Of You Baby"(already a huge contemporary rock favorite) closes the album with an apt statement that summarizes the"Astro Lounge"experience. Yeah, I"Can't Get Enough"of them. -- Ming Kang
|
|||||
