Maquee Explained

Maquee
Type:Studio Album
Artist:Smile
Cover:Maquee.png
Released:July 18, 1995
Recorded:February/March 1994
Genre:Alternative rock, grunge
Label:Atlantic, Headhunter
Prev Title:Resin
Prev Year:1994
Next Title:Girls Crushes Boy
Next Year:1998

Maquee is an album by Smile. It was released by Atlantic on July 18, 1995.

Background

Smile had originally finished recording the album by September 1994,[1] and it was released under the San Diego-based label Headhunter. Their album caught the attention of Atlantic Records, and Smile was soon offered a contract. Upon signing with Atlantic, the trio quit their day jobs and began touring the country.[2] Alongside some of the tour was the band "Inch",[1] and Smile stayed on the road for nearly a year and a half promoting Maquee.[2] Lyrically, the album plays with themes of fatalism, revenge, and Gothicism.[2] The name of the album came from Reeder's best buddy from Barstow, who had the nickname "Maquee".

Rosas wrote their first single, which was one of the first songs he ever wrote, called "Staring at the Sun" in 1990, stating that he "...wasn't aware enough of what I was doing to be able to make any keen observations on the world of pop culture. It was just looking at my friends and me".[3] It has been described as a "psychedelic plunge into retro rock and modern grunge" by Larry Flick of Billboard Magazine,[4] and it is noted for having a particularly "loud" sound.[4]

Reception

Maquee fared well with some reviewers,[5] while some felt that it fell short of what they believed the band was capable of making. Ultimately, the album charted on College Music Journal's "Metal" chart in November 1995, but failed to appear afterwards.

The single "Staring at the Sun" received airplay on the radio.[1]

Personnel

Additional personnel

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Borzillo, p. 18.
  2. News: Rosen. Alison M.. The Long Way Out: Smile decide to end it all. 13 October 2010. Orange County Weekly. 19 June 2003.
  3. News: Boehm. Mike. Smile Downplays Manifesto Destiny . https://web.archive.org/web/20101214114513/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/24/entertainment/ca-47203/2. dead. December 14, 2010. 13 October 2010. Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1998.
  4. Flick, p. 93.
  5. News: Rugolo. J. Derek. Top Ten Music Picks from 1995. 13 October 2010. The Stony Brook Statesman. January 22, 1996.
  6. CMJ New Music Monthly, p. 46.