Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Everclear, released on July 11, 2000. The album (along with its sequel, Songs from an American Movie Vol. Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude) is a loose concept album inspired by lead singer Art Alexakis's second divorce. The first album is much more influenced by American pop music, especially from the 1970s, as well as being more "loving" in tone than the hard rock Good Time for a Bad Attitude. The album is dedicated to David Ridderhof and Louis Montoya.
| Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 11, 2000 | |||
| Genre | Pop,[1] rock[2] | |||
| Length | 45:18 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Art Alexakis, Lars Fox, Neal Avron | |||
| Everclear chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile | ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 57/100[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Alternative Press | 4/5[7] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B−[8] |
| Los Angeles Times | [9] |
| Melody Maker | [10] |
| NME | 4/10[11] |
| Q | [12] |
| Rolling Stone | [13] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
| The Village Voice | A−[1] |
Learning How to Smile is the band's second highest selling album ever with 1.28 million copies sold and a Platinum certification by the RIAA.[15] It is also the band's only album to debut in the top ten on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number nine, and the last album by Everclear to sell over 500,000 copies.
Track listing
editAll lyrics written by Art Alexakis, all music composed by Alexakis, Craig Montoya and Greg Eklund, unless otherwise noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Song from an American Movie, Pt. 1" | 1:39 |
| 2. | "Here We Go Again" (samples "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy) | 4:10 |
| 3. | "AM Radio" (samples "Mr. Big Stuff" by Jean Knight) | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Brown Eyed Girl" (Van Morrison cover) | 4:21 |
| 5. | "Learning How to Smile" | 3:50 |
| 6. | "The Honeymoon Song" (Eklund/Everclear) | 3:38 |
| 7. | "Now That It's Over" | 3:49 |
| 8. | "Thrift Store Chair" | 2:08 |
| 9. | "Otis Redding" | 3:56 |
| 10. | "Unemployed Boyfriend" | 4:15 |
| 11. | "Wonderful" | 5:01 |
| 12. | "Annabella's Song" | 4:55 |
On the original 2000 release of the album, the divide between tracks 11 and 12 was in the middle of "Annabella's Song." A reissue in 2001 corrected this error, as well as replacing the album version of "AM Radio" with the single mix and adding two bonus tracks: "Out of My Depth (single mix)" and "Rock Star."
Personnel
editCredits are adapted from the album's liner notes.
- Everclear
- Art Alexakis – vocals, guitar, banjo, steel guitar, percussion, co-producer
- Craig Montoya – bass, backing vocals, mandolin, percussion
- Greg Eklund – drums, backing vocals, lead vocals on "The Honeymoon Song," ukelele, orchestra bells, percussion
- Additional personnel
- James Beaton – keyboard
- Lars Fox – co-producer, percussion, backing vocals
- Neal Avron – co-producer
- Roy Lott – executive producer
- Perry Watts-Russell – executive producer
- Mike Kent – additional production and recording
- Sean Cox – studio assistant
- Andy Banton – studio assistant
- Mike Ternyik – studio assistant
- Charlie Paakkari – 2nd engineer
- Frank W. Ockenfels III – photography
Charts
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (September 26, 2000). "Consumer Guide: Afropop Worldwide". The Village Voice. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile – Everclear". AllMusic. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ Flick, Larry (July 22, 2000). "Everelear's Capitol Release Gets 'Wonderful' Response". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 30. p. 12.
Programmers embraced the set's lead single, 'Wonderful,' immediately upon its May 22 arrival at radio.
- ^ "Alternative: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1364. August 18, 2000. p. 169.
- ^ "Hot AC: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1398. April 20, 2001. p. 94.
- ^ "Reviews for Songs From An American Movie Vol. One: Learning How To Smile by Everclear". Metacritic. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ "Everclear: Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile". Alternative Press (146): 89. September 2000.
- ^ Browne, David (September 14, 2000). "Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 9, 2009. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ Nichols, Natalie (July 9, 2000). "'Movie' Finds Everclear in a Sentimental Mood". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
- ^ "Everclear: Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile". Melody Maker: 50. August 8, 2000.
- ^ "Songs From An American Movie, Volume 1: Learning How To Smile". NME. September 8, 2000. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ "Everclear: Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile". Q (168): 99. September 2000.
- ^ Zacharek, Stephanie (July 6, 2000). "Everclear: Songs From An American Movie Vol. 1: Learning How To Smile". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 1, 2008. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ Harris, Keith (2004). "Everclear". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 285–86. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Everclear – Songs From An American Movie - Vol. One: Learning How To Smile". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "Everclear Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Everclear – Songs From An American Movie - Vol. One: Learning How To Smile". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "Everclear Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
