Everclear returns with “Vegas Years”

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 | 1:46 p.m.

Pop music addicts know that Tuesday is the day that new CDs hit the stores and online shops. Among today's crop of new releases is "The Vegas Years," from the post-grunge band Everclear, which has been MIA for the last 10 years.

Since Everclear is based on the West Coast, the album title apparently is a reference to our town's fondness for cover bands -- the CD is a compilation of remakes made up of new cuts, live tracks and previously released material recorded between 1994 and 2007. Everclear applies their hyperactive, staccatto style to The Go-Gos' "Our Lips Are Sealed," Tom Petty's "American Girl," and Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town." And the theme from "Speed Racer."

In a recent interview, Everclear frontman Art Alexakis explained the Vegas reference: "Everywhere you go [in Vegas] somebody is playing covers. Whether it's a guy, a band, three chicks covering Black Sabbath a capella. I mean, it's ----ing weird. It's a pretty good psychology. The people that own those places want you to come there for one reason: to throw money in the hole ... They want you sloppy. You get your guard down when you're singing "Sweet Home Alabama." You're comfortable. You don't want people to think."

And who knew Everclear were beach boys? The reconstituted band will do a live webcast concert from the Beach at Mandalay Bay at 8 p.m. this Sunday. And you can preview the CD here.