Sparkle and Fade

Last updated

Sparkle and Fade
Everclear-Sparkle.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 23, 1995
RecordedSeptember 1994
Studio
Genre
Length42:47
Label Capitol
Producer
Everclear chronology
World of Noise
(1993)
Sparkle and Fade
(1995)
White Trash Hell
(1997)
Singles from Sparkle and Fade
  1. "Heroin Girl"
    Released: 1995
  2. "Santa Monica"
    Released: December 5, 1995 (airplay)
  3. "Heartspark Dollarsign"
    Released: 1996
  4. "You Make Me Feel Like a Whore"
    Released: 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal 10/10 [6]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The Great Rock Discography 9/10 [8]
Kerrang! Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
MusicHound Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
The Village Voice A− [12]

Sparkle and Fade is the second album by Everclear, released in 1995. [13] It was their first album to be released exclusively on Capitol Records; their previous effort, World of Noise , was re-released on Capitol after its introduction through the Portland, Oregon based label, Tim/Kerr Records. The album produced the singles "Heroin Girl," "Santa Monica," "Heartspark Dollarsign," and "You Make Me Feel Like a Whore." The album's music follows themes like addiction and romance through a loosely defined narrative similar to Art Alexakis' own troubled life when he was in his twenties. [14]

Contents

The album's cover features childhood pictures of the three members of the band. It is Everclear's third-best-selling album to date. [15] It climbed to the top of the Heatseekers Chart in January 1996 [16] and was certified Platinum by the RIAA in May 1996. [17] By December 2001, the album had sold 1,190,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. [18]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that "the sheer radiance of songs like 'Santa Monica' (which demands repeated listens) adds to the luster of this unexpected gem." [13]

Track listing

All songs written by Art Alexakis, Craig Montoya, and Greg Eklund, except where noted. [19]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Electra Made Me Blind"
  • Alexakis
  • Scott Cuthbert
  • Montoya
3:43
2."Heroin Girl"
  • Alexakis
  • Cuthbert
  • Montoya
2:23
3."You Make Me Feel Like a Whore" 2:47
4."Santa Monica" 3:11
5."Summerland" 3:42
6."Strawberry" 2:35
7."Heartspark Dollarsign" 2:52
8."The Twistinside"
  • Alexakis
  • Cuthbert
  • Montoya
4:37
9."Her Brand New Skin" 2:02
10."Nehalem" 1:53
11."Queen of the Air"
  • Alexakis
  • Cuthbert
  • Montoya
2:59
12."Pale Green Stars" 4:17
13."Chemical Smile" 1:49
14."My Sexual Life"
  • Alexakis
  • Cuthbert
  • Montoya
3:51

Personnel

Personnel per liner notes. [19]

Everclear

Production

Artwork

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [27] Platinum70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [28] Platinum100,000^
United States (RIAA) [29] Platinum1,190,000 [18]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everclear (band)</span> American alternative rock band

Everclear is an American rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1991. The band was formed by Art Alexakis, the band's lead songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist, and for most of the band's height of popularity, consisted of Craig Montoya on bass guitar and Greg Eklund on drums. After the limited release of their independently released debut album, World of Noise, the band found success with their first three albums on Capitol Records: Sparkle and Fade, So Much for the Afterglow, and Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile, which were all certified platinum in sales. However, the following two albums Songs from an American Movie Vol. Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude and Slow Motion Daydream, were not as well received, and as sales suffered, Montoya and Eklund left the band shortly after in 2003.

<i>Slow Motion Daydream</i> 2003 studio album by Everclear

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<i>World of Noise</i> 1993 studio album by Everclear

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<i>So Much for the Afterglow</i> 1997 studio album by Everclear

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<i>White Trash Hell</i> 1997 EP by Everclear

White Trash Hell is an EP by Everclear, released on March 24, 1997. The disc is largely a collection of demos recorded with drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994 in preparation for Sparkle and Fade, with the exception of the acoustic version of "Fire Maple Song", which features Greg Eklund on drums. The band turned over the recordings to their UK label, Fire Records, expecting them to be released sometime in 1995. However, the label stalled on releasing the EP, and it remained unissued until 1997.

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