Masochist Music Review: Everclear - Welcome to the Drama Club

What can I say, I’m a masochist when it comes to music.  I like to have complete catalogues when it comes to my favorite musicians.  Sometimes this is a good thing (Alice Cooper, AC/DC) but oftentimes it’s not.  Not only that, but I used to fall into the trap of hearing one or two great songs and purchasing a whole album because of it, which sometimes produced a diamond, but usually only coal.  During this series, we will dwell on some of the albums I have in my collection that are downright terrible.  I will re-listen to them all and give you my impression of them.

Now this is only my opinion, so don’t take it as gospel.  If you like a particular album in this series, let me know, we’ll open up a discussion about it.  I’m always open to discussing the merits of any particular album, and if you have any suggestions (and especially if you have the album itself and are willing to share your views) then let me know and I’d be happy to add it to the list.

Album Name:  Welcome to the Drama Club

Artist:  Everclear

Release Date:  2006

Why you bought it:  I bought this well after it came out, in a fit of nostalgia I’m assuming.  I liked Everclear when they first arrived, and Sparkle and Fade is still one of my favorite albums, so I was just hoping I could recapture that specific time in my life, that’s what music is good for after all.

First impressions:  It wasn’t as raw as Sparkle and Fade or World of Noise, the first two albums from Everclear, and it definitely seemed like the mainstreaming of the band had taken full effect at this point.  It’s not a terrible album, and it’s still undeniably an Everclear album, but the band has absolutely lost a bit of its edge over the years. 

Impressions upon listening to it recently:  It doesn’t improve with age, that’s for sure.  Everclear was never the most original band, and this album doesn’t really get them on track to be anything interesting or relevant. 

Any saving grace?:  The nostalgia factor of hearing the band is still there, but it’s not as strong because the songs themselves are a lot weaker and way more radio-friendly than their predecessors. 

Was it worth the purchase?:  For nostalgia’s sake, sure, but beyond that, not really.  I would try one of the earlier albums before this one if you want a taste of Everclear when they were really good.