Smash Mouth Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
After four albums and six years with Interscope, Smash Mouth returned to independent status in 2006 for their fifth album, Summer Girl. The labels may have changed but the sound hasn't: the group is still a quintessential summertime rock & roll band, trafficking in surf guitars, Farfisa organs, and sunny hooks, all designed for the beach. The band knows this and they're unapologetic -- and why shouldn't they be when they're as good at it as they are? They've always had their sound down, even on such forgettable albums as 2003's Get the Picture?, which made them good background music even when the songs didn't stick. Fortunately, the songs on Summer Girl do stick -- in fact, the band has their best set of songs since their 1997 debut, Fush Yu Mang. Not that Smash Mouth is doing anything different -- this is still good-time party music through and through; even when things slow down for the acoustic "Right Side, Wrong Band," it sounds like a fireside singalong -- but the hooks are so big, they're instantly memorable, and they're delivered with the enthusiasm of a band on their first record, not their fifth. By this point, such a difference may only be heard by the faithful, but for those who have stuck by Smash Mouth for all these years, they'll be delighted that the band has produced a record as catchy and confident as this. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Get the Picture?'
Release Date 8/4/2003
Tracks 12
Label Universal/Interscope
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
By the time Smash Mouth released their fourth album, Get the Picture?, in the summer of 2003, they were nearly an American summer institution. Every two years or so, they would have an effervescent, cheerfully lightweight single that dominated the airwaves all summer and well into the fall, with an equally fizzy, catchy album to back it up. On their third album, they stumbled somewhat, at least in terms of sales, which may be due to a lack of songs as undeniable as "All Star," "Walking on the Sun," or "Till the Morning Comes," or it could be because it came out in November, and winter just isn't the time for this quintessentially Californian band. Get the Picture? also lacks an undeniable single, or even a standout track for that matter -- Neil Diamond was even drafted in for "You Are My Number One," to no avail -- but it doesn't really matter, because the mood is bright, the tone is bright, and the music sounds sunny. If nothing really catches hold as a song, there's still a lot of tuneful, appealing material here, and it functions well as a party album for those hot days of summer. Whether it will be remembered beyond that is another matter entirely, but once again Smash Mouth delivers a soundtrack for the summer. They're reliable, and that's a point in their favor. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Smash Mouth is easy to like and easy to hate, depending on your point of view. It's easy to see why some listeners could get irritated at their incandescent, irrepressibly sunny sound, especially if it's pounded out on the radio endlessly; so it seems like every station has adopted "All Star" as their personal signature. But it's easy to love them for the reason they got to that status: their effortless way of updating classic frat rock to sound breezy, hip, and fun, thanks to their healthy love of surf and new wave. They do this best on their singles, of course -- unless they're covering a straight-up oldies like the Monkees' "I'm a Believer," which is simply too predictable; they're much better when they're tackling Let's Active ("Every Word Means No") or the Four Seasons via Fun Boy Three ("Can't Get Enough of You, Babe") -- but they can be just as endearing on their album cuts, as their strong, eponymous third effort shows. There are no new tricks here by any stretch (except the sub-Blur electronic piss-take "Keep It Down"), but it's all done sharply, melodically, and happily. If you've grooved on Smash Mouth's singles and want more of the same, this delivers reliably, which may be an unadorned pleasure for some and a guilty one for others. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Based on their infectious summer single "Walking on the Sun," it was easy to dismiss Smash Mouth as a one-hit wonder, since it was hard to believe that they'd be able to top that sun-kissed delight that was easily the highlight of their debut, Fush Yu Mang. Perhaps that's why their second record, Astro Lounge, feels like such a surprise, since it carries through on the promise of "Walking on the Sun." Like Sugar Ray -- a fellow veteran of the ska-punk underworld who delivered a follow-up that owed more to melodic pop and new wave than its hit predecessor -- Smash Mouth have created an album that is unabashedly fun, catchy, and lightweight, the ideal music for a car radio or a day at the beach. It's true that nothing on Astro Lounge is as immediately grabbing as "Walking on the Sun," but every song shares the same party-ready mentality and irresistible, trashy AM-radio vibe. No, nothing on Astro Lounge is particularly deep, but it's all good fun and it never disappoints -- which is quite a remarkable feat, since one-hit wonders rarely deliver a second album that betters their first. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The groovy, '60s soul-funk of "Walking on the Sun" disguises the fact that Smash Mouth is a ska-punk band. With its organ riff and breezy melody, "Walking on the Sun" is a great one-shot single, yet Smash Mouth never come close to replicating its easy charm anywhere on Fush Yu Mang. Regardless, there are some moments that'll satisfy third-wave ska revival fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
