Everclear - Slow Motion Daydream

How come Everclear's 6th album, Slow Motion Daydream, gets no love? As far as my ears can tell it's only because it was released in 2003, and we just assumed Art swam out past the breakers and watched the world die already. I mean, sure, you can hear some of the songs as cringe, and not everybody likes strings and accordions in their Alternative Rock like I do, but it's unmistakably Everclear, and not every song is supposed to be on the radio. 

The album is a daydream, I thought that was pretty obvious, but people have this bizarre habit of forgetting how irony and sarcasm worked back then. You aren't required to agree with every thought presented to you, or even every thought your own brain invents, but you are required to make some reasonable attempt to understand it.

The two songs in question here are Volvo Driving Soccer Mom and New York Times. Everything else, whether it suits your taste or not, is just a passing scene in the meandering daydream. Those two songs, however, are overt socio-political criticisms: namely Republican hypocrisy, and a similie between 9/11 and a former girlfriend. 

First, Volvos. Depending on who you're talking to, the Swedish Volvo was either a sturdy, reliable, luxury vehicle, or an ironically ugly, poorly assembled, Yuppie status symbol. I come from the Volvos are trash side of that argument, and so does Art, but that's not the point of the song. The point of the song is to criticize Middle-Class Republican hypocrisy. Your first clue should be a man singing as a woman who "used to be a bad girl," and that's about as subtle as it gets. Where did all the porn stars go? They married yuppies and drive their kids to soccer games in the Volvo, yuk yuk. But even though that seems like the intended punchline, it isn't. He's not criticizing the Volvo, or driving your kids to soccer practice, he's criticizing the narrative of a middle-class, yuppie, trad-wife proclaiming she "used to be" a stripper, smoke pot, party, etc., but now she's matured and settled down into her ultimate destiny as a loving wife and mother. The song says "barf." I say barf, too. You don't have to agree, but it is our perspective.

New York Times is a lot tougher, partly because we just heard him say he didn't want to leave LA, but ultimately doesn't care where they live as long as he can be with her, but equally because "her" is a metaphor for the USA and he can only read about how she's doing in a newspaper that seems to say reality as he understands it doesn't exist. Much like Volvo, the New York Times has had some serious credibility issues in the 21st Century. This album came out on Jan. 1, and in May of 2003, Jayson Blair resigned in the face of clear evidence of years of fabrication and plagiarism. You can go read the long list of controversies for yourself, if you want to, the point is that no matter how prestigious you think you are, you're still always only presenting your own narrow point of view, and refusing to acknowledge that fact is the problem. I will tell you this, not any different 20+ years later, and I could never work there, I think Isreal is very much attempting to commit genocide on Palestinians. That doesn't mean I'm pro-Hamas, it means I'm anti-aggresor. Politically, I'm vocally anti nation-state, I make no secret of it. Not the point.

The point is that Art is having a daydream, and you aren't required to agree or disagree, love it or hate it, buy it or burn it. It's a person's thoughts set to crunchy power chords, ominously sarcastic string arrangements, and an accordion solo. 

Lighten up, stop looking down on everyone else, enjoy the sunshine, let your mind wander. That's the message of the album, and it's lovely. But like I said earlier, it's UNMISTAKEABLY Everclear. If you've ever heard one Everclear song, you know exactly what every Everclear song sounds like. I don't think that's a bad thing, I like Everclear, but if you want them to sound different you might be underwhelmed. 

Just so happens i have a new, unopened copy I'll sell you for 5 bucks. Probably should order a couple more things while you're there, just to make it worthwhile and not have to pay shipping, but I'm not the boss of anybody.

https://bottlesmusic.com/shop/cds/everclear-slow-motion-daydream-cd/