current
about
reviews
links
feature
archives
credits

At Second Glance - The Chevelles


Label:Not Lame Limited
Spinning Top Records
Released:1998
Highlights:She?s Not Around
Murder On Her Mind
Show Me Your Love
Mesmerized
No Need To Say
Rating:8.5/10


Over the last decade, The Chevelles guitar driven style of power pop has won them many fans around the world, especially throughout Europe. At Second Glance (no doubt a reference to the Stem's At First Sight) is practically a Chevelles 'Best Of' compilation that covers the band's last two albums; Gigantic and the impossible to find, Rollerball Candy. However, it is perhaps more accurate to view At Second Glance as an introduction to the band as it is far from a definitive compilation. Not only is it The Chevelles's first American release but there are too many good songs missing, including nothing from the band?s first lineup.

Nevertheless, At Second Glance is an extremely strong record that contains many gems, including my favourite Chevelles' song, She's Not Around. One of the Chevelles' main strength's is their ability to successfully vary their sound, whether it be the pure pop of the aforementioned She's Not Around, the hard rocking Mesmerized, the dreamy Dissolved or the sad Fall. Also of interest is the inclusion of several hard to find B-sides, including their re-recording of the classic Show Me Your Love. On top of this, every song on the album has been remastered, with a quite noticeable improvement in sound quality. Subsequently, if you haven't had the chance to hear anything by The Chevelles, At Second Glance is the ideal place to start.

BACK to reviews