Emo, what a crappy name for a style of music. It supposed to stand for 'emotional' music as I understand. What the F were they ("Who are THEY? And where do they get their information?) thinking? All music is emotional. That's what it's about!
Anyway, this is a great and TRUELY emotional album. This is the best Everclear album. I lost interest for the most part after "So Much For the Afterglow" but "Sparkle and Fade" is one of my all time favorite albums. This is comiing from a die hard music fan of all genres, not just rock.

Ok, I fell in love with Everclear after hearing "Everything To Everyone" a few years ago and recently bought Sparkle And Fade. Wow... what can I say, this is the best CD I have ever heard. "Heartspark Dollarsign" is my favorite track, and "Nahalem" is one of those songs you love at once. And "Pale Green Stars" has a great chorus that sticks in your head. I have to say, buy this CD, you'll love it!

I've been an EC fan since the mid 90's and have followed the band all the way through their career and have heard every single track ever made including cut/non released songs. Sparkle & Fade features the best, pure rock songs ever produced by Everclear. Other previous albums such as White Trash Hell and World of Noise come close, but are missing that polished sound that S&F delivers. With this album you get hard hitting songs and slower tracks which all have real-life meaning and grasp you into the world of Art Alexakis. Sparkle & Fade is simply the best Everclear album, and arguably one of the best 90's rock albums of all time. After So Much For The Afterglow, Everclear went too soft and lost their touch as they got away from their early roots and sound which made them such fan favorites. If you like pop get their more recent albums. However if you want true rock sound, get Sparkle & Fade, and you will not be dissapointed what-so-ever! If you're new to EC buy their rough and gritty rock album "World of Noise" and go from there.

I bought this CD after hearing "Santa Monica" on the radio back in 1995. I think this is a great CD, "Santa Monica", "Summerland" and "The Twistinside" are my favorite songs. I couldn't wait for their next release, I found "So Much For The Afterglow" to be just as awesome. Everclear puts a lot of feeling in their songs and these boys can rock! I can't wait for their next CD to be released, I'm definately adding it to my collection.

To date this is one of the best albums I've ever heard and imo the best rock album to come out of the 90s. It paints a vibrant story throughout the album that draws you in for a rollercoaster ride of sounds and emotions. The musical range and songwriting is second to none only downshadowed by a couple of misses.

Track 1 "Electra Made Me Blind" - This song is a fitting starter to the album that grabs you by the balls and simply tells you you're in for a hell of a ride, a simple straight up hard rock song, nothing more, nothing less: **** four stars

Track 2 "Heroin Girl" - This song takes you into an even deeper darker and harder rock, gripping lyrics and pounding guitars leave you at the edge of your seat. **** four stars

Track 3 "You Make Me Feel Like a Whore" - One of my favorites, this song eases up a bit, but the in your face lyrics and guitar rythm make it unforgettable. ***** five stars

Track 4 "Santa Monica" - The musical range takes a turn as we hear a softer rock song, that's warm and radio friendly with its unforgettable almost "country like" guitar hook and good time lyrics, if i could choose one song to sum up the album to someone who has never heard Sparkle and Fade this would be it. ***** five stars

Track 6 "Strawberry" - This song continues on with the drug theme that we first saw in "Heroin Girl" with no percussion, this song is almost like a calm after the thrashing storm of Heroin Girl. **** four stars

Track 5 "Summerland" - I whole heartidly believe this is the type of sound that Everclear should have continued working on as it brings the basic sounds we heard on their first independent grunge album "World of Noise" to the more mainstream songs found on this album, Art (lead singer/guitarist) has noted that this is his favorite Everclear song, and with good reason. ***** five stars

Track 7 "Heartspark Dollarsign" - A great rock pop song that I still can't see why it didn't catch on. This song whole heartidly takes us back to the topic of relationships found in previous songs. ***** five stars

Track 8 "The Twistinside" - This song has two faces to it, it starts off innocent and gets harder near the end, think of it as a mix of strawberry at the beginning and heroin girl at the end, a little repepative but i really like the lyrics on this one. **** four stars

Track 9 "Her Brand New Skin" - Our first miss of the record. So far on the album Everclear has spand several types of rock based music and they did it with great success, this track however kicks off a downside to the album: Punk Rock. I've never seen Everclear as a Punk Band, as well they shouldn't be. This song lacks content and structure, feels like it is just thrown together with no cause or place in the album. ** two stars

Track 10 "Nehalem" - Same as "Her Brand New Skin" no structure content or point, the punk is just out of place. ** two stars

Track 11 "Queen of the Air" - A mellow song with slightly distorted melodies, a heartfelt song reminiscent to another great "Fire Maple Song" off of "World of Noise", although it embodies that classic, it fell a little short of a masterpiece. **** four stars

Track 12 "Pale Green Stars" - The second hint of country appears in this song. A softer song about girly stuff, yadda yadda, something Everclear really shouldn't be relating to. *** three stars

Track 13 "Chemical Smile" - see track 9 and 10 for details. ** two stars

Track 14 "My Sexual Life" - Great Closer for the album, a beautiful melodic song once again about relationships that closes one hell of a ride. **** four stars

I believe the only downfall to the album's enternal greatness were the punkesque songs that failed me on every level, other than that it was by far the best MAINSTREAM Everclear Album, if you haven't already got this album, what in the hell are you waiting for? - word