The Nirvana Revolution smashed opened the door for countless like-minded bands. Many were second-rate rip-offs, but Everclear was one deserving of the opportunity. Sure, the angst and crunchy post-punk riffs of Sparkle and Fade owe a debt to St. Kurt, but Art Alexakis's own outsider tales--sample titles include "Heroin Girl" and "You Make Me Feel like a Whore"--prove piercing in a woe-is-him sort of way. Featuring the swaggering, strangely euphoric "Santa Monica," itself one of the finer rock singles of '90's, Sparkle burns like a fresh wound. It's an exhilarating, if ultimately long-winded collection, far more accomplished than the band's hit-and-miss debut and not nearly as overtly radio-minded as it successor. --Neal Weiss
