A Lesson In... 09.22.09: Smash Mouth
Posted by Alistair McGeorge on 09.22.2009
This week Alistair McGeorge checks back with A Lesson In...Smash Mouth. Despite being known mostly for their hits “Smash Mouth” and The Monkeeys’ “I’m A Believer”, over their 15-year history the band has shown that there’s more to them than a couple of hits. Come inside to learn about the history of Smash Mouth.
Hello my friends and welcome back to A Lesson In... with Alistair McGeorge. After a couple of weeks with no comments (The Darkness and Beyond... and The Used), I've decided to move back to bands with a bit more mainstream sound and appeal, at least for this week.
First off, I want to extend my best wishes on behalf of myself and the 411mania team to Scott Weiland. The Stone Temple Pilots and former Velvet Revolver front-man went into hospital late last week as a result of a seizure. Our best wishes go out to Weiland and we hope he makes a speedy recovery.
As with last week, we got no comments from last week's column to look at. If anyone has anything to say at all about each week's column, the criticisms or praise is hugely appreciated. I want to make this as reader friendly and as interesting as I can so, knowing what I'm doing right or wrong is a great help. Not to dwell on it, I'm considering debuting a new section next week in the event I don't have any feedback to respond to. It'll probably be a short piece on whatever takes my fancy (music or otherwise), but I'm leaning towards the idea of taking a random track off iTunes or Spotify and writing a short review of it (including how and where it fits into the album it came from, the band's discography etc.). If you've got a preference either way, just hit up the comments section and let me know what you think.
This week's band were a great surprise for me, one I "discovered" for myself quite recently. Smash Mouth aren't seen as much more than a one-hit wonder, but I decided to pick up one of their albums in a second-hand record shop a month or so ago. I'll get onto which one later, but it immediately converted me into a fan. Hopefully this column can show what they're really made of. Just before we head back to their beginnings, here's a little preview of what Smash Mouth can really do…
Not for everyone...
I realize this really isn't a sound for everyone, and a lot of ska purists will hate that I'm describing their stuff under that genre. That said, the whole "off-beat strumming" is a big part of ska, and is definitely present on their debut at the very least. Back in 1994, Smash Mouth was formed with Steve Harwell (vocals), Greg Camp (guitar), Kevin Coleman (drums) and Paul De Lisle (bass). It would take two years for the band to get some attention, but it came when a demo of "Nervous in the Alley" got some radio play in San Jose. After being scouted live, they were signed to a deal with Interscope Records, and would release their debut the following year...
Let's Rock...
Fush Yu Mang was release on July 8 1997, and has since achieved certification as Double Platinum. It would peak at #19 in the US Billboard 200, and #2 in the US Rock charts.
"Walkin' on the Sun" was the band's first single, and shot them into mainstream appeal. Peaking at #19 in the UK Singles chart, it also performed incredibly well in the US, particularly when you remember that this was Smash Mouth's lead single from their debut album. "Walkin' on the Sun" reached #2 in the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream chart, and hit the top spot for the Modern Rock Tracks and Adult Top 40 charts. It would last a month at the top of the Modern Rock Tracks chart, being beaten on October 25 1997 by Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping".
The second and final single from Fush Yu Mang was a cover of War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" (also covered by Reel Big Fish). The single didn't chart in the UK, but would achieve a #28 US Billboard Alternative Songs chart. Despite not reaching the success of the first single, it was a good effort for a band that was still a fairly unproven commodity.
It's now time for a musical interlude. Here's one of the more "ska-based" tracks of the album, "Disconnect the Dots"...
This is the only Smash Mouth album I actually own (but I've listened to the rest online and on Spotify), and I definitely wasn't disappointed. I hadn't heard a single song from it before I bought it but it's been regularly played on my iPod and CD player (yep, some of us still use those old things) for the last month or so. From "Heave-Ho" to "Padrino" via the two videos I've embedded so far, it's a great ska album and not what I expected from the band at all. I'd say the weakest track is actually the first single, which is the sound the band are most associated with. Would the future bring more of the same from a band that seemed to have their best sound early on? Let's move on and find out...
Hey now, you're an All Star...
So, on June 8 1999 (just a month short of two years to the day Fush Yu Mang was released) Smash Mouth released Astro Lounge, their sophomore effort. This would perform much better in the mainstream charts than their debut, reaching #6 in the Billboard 200 and topping the Rock chart. With this album it was more about one single than the album as a whole (in regards to commercial success at least), however. In terms of album sales in general, though, Smash Mouth's second album was certified Triple Platinum, surpassing the success of Fush Yu Mang.
A few singles were released from Astro Lounge, to varying degrees of success. "Can't Get Enough of You, Baby" was originally by The Toys, and has been covered a few times. Smash Mouth's version was originally released in 1998 as part of the soundtrack for Can't Hardly Wait, which also featured tracks from Guns ‘N Roses and Blink-182, amongst others. It peaked at #30, 18 and 14 in the Modern Rock, Pop Top 40 and Adult Top 40 respectively. The next single would be their true breakthrough hit, and shot them into the mainstream and the minds of the masses unfairly as one-hit wonders...
Ok, it's pretty damn catchy and infectious, I'll give it that. "All Star" is undeniably Smash Mouth's biggest hit, featured in several popular movies. Not only was it the opening track for Shrek, its video was made to hype Mystery Men. The band also performed it at the end of the 2001 comedy Rat Race, in a cheesy but welcomed (by me, at least) cameo. In the UK, "All Star" didn't perform quite as well in the charts as "Walkin' on the Sun", but it still peaked at #24. Stateside, it topped the Top 40 Mainstream and Adult Top 40 charts, and hit #4 and #2 in the Hot 100 and Alternative Songs charts respectively.
"Then the Morning Comes" was apparently the first Smash Mouth song to reach the Billboard Charts, and was also used in a TV commercial for Nissan. It's got a bit too much synth in it for me, but it followed the direction Smash Mouth were heading in with Astro Lounge as a whole. "Then the Morning Comes" hit the #8 spot in the Hot 100, 25 in the Modern Rock, and then #5 and 2 in the Pop Top 40 and Adult Top 40. "Waste" was also apparently released as a single (according to Wikipedia), although I couldn't find any information regarding its success. To distract from that, we'll have a quick musical interlude from their album before I check in with my opinions...
As you can see, Smash Mouth took a huge step away from ska-punk with their sophomore album. I'll be blunt and say I really didn't enjoy listening to this album, besides "Come On, Come On" and the very occasional track. I gave it a fair chance, but it felt totally flat for me. They're hardly distinguishable as the same band who recorded Fush Yu Mang. I won't deny that the change in styles helped boost their career and shot them into the limelight, but creatively I think it was a poor move that alienated early fans.
Only two albums into my own education in Smash Mouth, I'm becoming a bit more pessimistic about listening to the rest of their back catalogue. Naturally, I'll give it every chance to impress, but I'm praying there'll be a glimpse of the style of music that got me excited to rediscover this band.
Following the release of Astro Lounge, Kevin Coleman would quit as a result of lower back problems. He was replaced initially by Mitch Marine on tour, and then later by Michael Urbano. By 2001, Smash Mouth would creep further towards the mainstream with another soundtrack appearance and their third album! Would it be a return to form, or more of the same?
Then I saw her face...
Smash Mouth recorded their own version of The Monkees' hit "I'm A Believer" to decent critical acclaim, and it was released initially on the Shrek soundtrack, the second of their songs to be associated with the movie. It was later released on the band's third album, Smash Mouth on November 27. They ran a poll online to let fans decide the name of the album, and the self-titled idea was picked after a two-way tie.
With "I'm A Believer" being the big "hit" from the album, sales suffered slightly from it being released earlier on the Shrek soundtrack. It had some success, being certified Gold, but it was their least successful release so far.
The cover would chart fairly well, hitting #4 in the Adult Top 40, 15 in the Pop Top 40 and then #25 in the US Hot 100. Along with "I'm A Believer", singles included "Holiday In My Head" and "Pacific Coast Party", which didn't perform as well.
As with their last effort, I wasn't totally impressed with this, but Smash Mouth had undeniably found their niche. They were writing catchy, poppy, fell-good summer anthems, and they were recognized for it. The album didn't perform as well as their earlier materials, peaking at #48 and #4 in the US Billboard 200 and Rock charts. Their next effort, however, would not live up to any real expectations in terms of sales. Let's move along to...
Hang On...
Get the Picture? was released on August 5 2003, but can be seen as a commercial failure, when compared to their first three efforts. It sold less than 40,000 copies. Only two singles was released from the album, being "You Are My Number One", a Neil Diamond song which featured Ranking Roger on guest vocals. The other was "Hang On", which was used in The Cat in the Hat (2003).
There's not a lot to say about this album, because it didn't really achieve a lot. It's hard to listen to how far Smash Mouth moved away from their early sound on the debut, to this poppy music with more keyboards than power-chords. Apparently, the public agreed with me at the time. It was the only Smash Mouth album so far that didn't really have a clear lead single, a track that everyone knew. This clearly harmed Get the Picture?'s sales, with the album peaking at #100 in the US Billboard 200, and only #29 in the US Rock charts.
The deal with Interscope ended, and the band signed a new deal with Universal. Following this deal, All Star Smash Hits was released, a "best of" compilation covering their albums and non-album material.
A download-only Christmas covers album The Gift of Rock, which featured just one original song, was released in 2005, and to be honest doesn't warrant a section of its own. It's a fun release, but it's "just there". Here's another quick musical interlude, their contribution to the soundtrack to the 2003 movie The Jungle Book 2...
Quality Control...
Smash Mouth were expected to release Old Habits (what was to be their fifth studio album) early 2006, and the band apparently hinted that it would be a return to the ska-punk Smash Mouth of old. The release was delayed, with Steve Harwell's appearance on The Surreal Life being something the band hoped would gain them publicity once again.
Old Habits was scrapped and replaced by Summer Girl, which did include some of the tracks from Old Habits, although remixed in the new sessions. Before it was released on September 16, there would be a line-up chance, and this is where it gets a bit confusing and hard to follow. Jason Sutter would replace Urbano on drums, after the latter left citing creative differences as the issue.
Summer Girl was eventually released, with singles "Story of My Life" and "So Insane" being taken from the album. The former was the third Smash Mouth song to be featured in the Shrek movie franchise, as it was featured in Shrek the Third. "So Insane" received little to no promotion, but still peaked at #29 in the US Adult Top 40 chart. With no more releases to discuss, we're going to head back to one of the tracks of their debut album, before wrapping things up this week...
Line-up changes, style changes, rumors, oh my!
In 2007, Sutter would leave the band to drum with Chris Cornell. Mitch Marine would return, this time apparently as a permanent member, rather than touring fill-in. However, by June 2009 the band announced that Urmano had returned to Smash Mouth. Another change came in 2008 when Greg Camp departed to record a solo album.
Leroy Miller replaced him, but by 2009 Camp was back. The band are reportedly in the studio to record their follow-up to Summer Girl, and apparently said- in response to fan mail- it should be a return to their earlier sound of Fush Yu Mang and Astro Lounge. If this is true, I'll be one happy man.
Grading… Smash Mouth
I may have sounded throughout this column that I didn't really like Smash Mouth, and I will admit they frustrated me. However, they did have their moments, and the albums I didn't like were certainly well-received by the mainstream media and the buying public, so I can't fault them on that. My favorite album is most definitely Fush Yu Mang though, and I do rate it highly as far as ska-punk goes. Add a bit of brass in there, and Smash Mouth could've been a force to reckon with on that scene. Let's hope the next album is a true return to form.
So, that does us for this week and another edition of A Lesson In…. If you've hated or loved anything from this column or past ones, please don't hesitate to rant or rave in the comments section, and I'll be sure to respond next week. Speaking of next week, we're going to take a look at a Welsh post-hardcore act with a new release coming up. Here are your clues…
Homework
1. Their history will be available in the UK on the day before my column will go online.
2. For their second album, you could say they had time.
3. They'll tell you exactly what they think of your revolution.
Thanks for joining me once again, I'll leave you with this video to take a look at, from modern punk-rockers Anti-Flag…
