The Vegas Years Explained

The Vegas Years
Type:compilation
Artist:Everclear
Cover:Everclear Vegas Years.jpg
Released:April 15, 2008
Recorded:1994–2007
Genre:Alternative rock, post-grunge
Length:45:37
Label:Capitol
Producer:Art Alexakis
Prev Title:The Best of Everclear
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:In a Different Light
Next Year:2009

The Vegas Years is a compilation of cover songs by American rock band Everclear. It was released on April 15, 2008, via Capitol Records.[1]

The album features tracks recorded throughout the band's career, including a few tracks that were previously released as B-sides. "American Girl" was recorded in 1994 and originally appeared on . "Southern Girls" and "Speed Racer" were recorded in 1996, and were released on the Japanese release of So Much for the Afterglow and later on the "Wonderful" UK single. "Our Lips Are Sealed", "Bad Connection", and "Pocahontas" were recorded in 1997 and appeared on various singles in support of So Much for the Afterglow. "The Boys Are Back in Town" was recorded for the soundtrack to the 1999 film Detroit Rock City. "Night Train to Memphis" appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese release of . "This Land Is Your Land" was recorded in 2004, and appeared on the Wake Up Everybody compilation.

Several of the tracks are new for this release, including "Rich Girl", "Kicks", and "Land of the Lost". While "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "Southern Girls" were previously released, the versions included on The Vegas Years are newly remixed, featuring new guitar and keyboard parts supplied by current Everclear members Davey French and Josh Crawley. "This Land Is Your Land" also features new elements dubbed over the original mix of the song, as the band lost the original multitracks.[2] The album also features two live performances: "Brown Eyed Girl", which the band recorded in studio form for Learning How to Smile, and "867-5309/Jenny", which became a regular show-closer for the band in 2004.

Track listing

                1. "Rich Girl" (2:26) (Hall)
                  Originally by Hall & Oates "Our Lips Are Sealed" (2:45) (Wiedlin / Hall)
                  Originally by The Go-Go's and Fun Boy Three "The Boys Are Back in Town" (4:41) (Lynott)
                  Originally by Thin Lizzy "Bad Connection" (3:40) (Clarke)
                  Originally by Yazoo "Kicks" (2:41) (Mann / Weil)
                  Originally by Paul Revere & the Raiders "Pocahontas" (3:18) (Young)
                  Originally by Neil Young "Night Train to Memphis" (2:05) (Smith / Hughes / Bradley)
                  Originally by Roy Acuff "This Land Is Your Land" (3:07) (Guthrie)
        1. "American Girl" (3:29) (Petty)
          Originally by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Brown Eyed Girl" [Live] (4:04) (Morrison)
          Originally by Van Morrison "Southern Girls" (2:51) (Nielsen / Petersson)
          Originally by Cheap Trick "Land of the Lost" (3:40)
  1. "Speed Racer" (2:24)
  2. Live Intro (0:38)
  3. "867-5309 (Jenny)" [Live] (3:46) (Call / Keller)
    Originally by Tommy Tutone

Notes and References

  1. http://www.msopr.com/?q=node/3695&PHPSESSID=7225643ff907065a8d953686ffe6b7c8 Press Release
  2. EMI Promo Video: "This Land Is Your Land". Alexakis: "When it came time to remix this, we couldn't find the multitracks for it. So this is the actual mix with ... new guitars ... and keyboards on it."