The Vegas Years (Capitol): B
There’s plenty of fun-loving spirit in Everclear’s remakes of artists as disparate as Hall & Oates, Woody Guthrie and Yaz. Culled from live and studio performances by both the old and new Everclear lineups, “The Vegas Years” chronicles the band’s raggedy grunge beginnings (a version of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” recorded before the trio’s Capitol debut) all the way up to its 2007 tour as a quintet. Central figure Art Alexis’ quirky humor is apparent in fantastic renditions of the TV themes “Land of the Lost” and “Speed Racer,” but Neil Young’s “Pocahontas” suffers with an inappropriate surf-style treatment. Download: “Our Lips Are Sealed.”
