As so often happens under the circumstances, critical backlash followed Everclear's recent ascent into multi-platinum success and MTV ubiquitousness. The band's sound? Too polished. Art Alexakis' lyrics? Too predictably dark and overwrought, with countless allusions to drugs, broken homes, and failed relationships. But regardless of what anyone has said since Everclear's breakthrough record Sparkle And Fade came out, the album remains a monster. It's slick and mechanical, to be sure, and it was made to be blared out of car windows, but the songs possess considerable lyrical depth to go along with their unmistakable, unforgettable hooks. So Much For The Afterglow, Everclear's new follow-up, doesn't stake out much new territory: It opens with some nice, Beach Boys-style harmonies, and the riffage is occasionally broken up by a banjo (on "Why I Don't Believe In God") or a funny sample ("Ataraxia"). But this is the same old Everclear, full of songs about, well, drugs ("Normal Like You"), broken homes ("Father Of Mine"), and failed relationships (the huge-sounding title track). The group hasn't lightened up a whole lot, but one constant remains: Afterglow, produced by Alexakis and mixed by Andy Wallace, sounds absolutely incredible. It's not the most nuanced sound in the world, but man, does it sound great.