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Smash Mouth: Astro Lounge
 Expounding on the theme from their hit "Walking on the
Sun" (from the multiplatinum Fush Yu Mang), the verbose songs on Astro
Lounge are filled with examinations of societal ills, personal woes, and other
disappointments entailed in this thing known as Humanity. Yes, the album would
seem heavy-handed were not the overriding sentiments filtered through Smash
Mouth's "Hey, dude, let's party!" brand of musical optimism. Ranging
from reggae to lounge to psychedelia to surfer rock to a sort of punk-a-go-go,
Smash Mouth's influences have little in common with one another save for one important
exception--they all evoke images of personal freedom and defiance of
oppression, reminding us that, gee, fighting the Man can actually be raucous
good fun! It's been a long time since a band with this much commercial
potential could say something thought-provoking and get the party going. On
"All Star," Steve Harwell sings, "Only shooting stars break the
mold." A fitting prophecy for this outstanding alterna-pop album.
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