Maquee is an album by Smile. It was released by Atlantic on July 18, 1995.

Maquee
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 18, 1995
RecordedFebruary/March 1994
GenreAlternative rock, grunge
LabelAtlantic, Headhunter
Smile chronology
Resin
(1994)
Maquee
(1995)
Girls Crushes Boy
(1998)

Background

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Smile had originally finished recording the album by September 1994,[1] and it was released under the San Diego–based label Headhunter. Their album caught the attention of Atlantic Records, and Smile was soon offered a contract. Upon signing with Atlantic, the trio quit their day jobs and began touring the country.[2] Alongside some of the tour was the band "Inch",[1] and Smile stayed on the road for nearly a year and a half promoting Maquee.[2] Lyrically, the album plays with themes of fatalism, revenge, and Gothicism.[2] The name of the album came from Reeder's best buddy from Barstow, who had the nickname "Maquee".[3]

Rosas wrote their first single, which was one of the first songs he ever wrote, called "Staring at the Sun" in 1990, stating that he "...wasn't aware enough of what I was doing to be able to make any keen observations on the world of pop culture. It was just looking at my friends and me".[3] It has been described as a "psychedelic plunge into retro rock and modern grunge" by Larry Flick of Billboard Magazine,[4] and it is noted for having a particularly "loud" sound.[4][5]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [6]
Los Angeles Times    [7]

Maquee fared well with some reviewers,[5] while some felt that it fell short of what they believed the band was capable of making.[6] Ultimately, the album charted on College Music Journal's "Metal" chart in November 1995, but failed to appear afterwards.[8]

The single "Staring at the Sun" received airplay on the radio.[1]

Charts

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Chart (1995) Peak
position
CMJ Metal[8] 23

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Rock Anthem for the Retarded Teenage Hipster Population"3:16
2."Staring at the Sun..."3:42
3."Spud Gun"2:30
4."Picture Made Past"4:54
5."Lemonade"3:16
6."Moosh"2:42
7."Jack Shrimp"2:26
8."Papaya Clearance Sale"3:05
9."She"5:19
10."Wallflower"2:41
11."Until(?)"5:52

Personnel

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  • Scott Reeder • drums, backing vocals on "Picture Made Past" and lead vocals on "Moosh"
  • Mike Rosas • vocals, guitar
  • Aaron Sonnennberg • bass guitar and backing vocals on "Wallflower"

Additional personnel

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  • Heather Anderson • backing vocals on "Until(?)"

References

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  1. ^ a b c Borzillo, p. 18.
  2. ^ a b c Rosen, Alison M. (19 June 2003). "The Long Way Out: Smile decide to end it all". Orange County Weekly. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b Boehm, Mike (November 24, 1998). "Smile Downplays Manifesto Destiny". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 14, 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  4. ^ a b Flick, p. 93.
  5. ^ a b Rugolo, J. Derek (January 22, 1996). "Top Ten Music Picks from 1995" (PDF). The Stony Brook Statesman. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  6. ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Maquee". All Music Guide. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  7. ^ Boehm, Mike (October 21, 1994). "Pop Music Review Smile: Heavy on Attitude, but Fuzzy on Intentions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  8. ^ a b CMJ New Music Monthly, p. 46.

Sources

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