The Greatest Album Is...Crack A Smile

Every band that has been around for a while and released great records runs into this debate; what is their greatest album? The greatest album is… is a column dedicated to tackling that age old question. What is the greatest album recorded by Poison? Join with us now as the question is answered and arguments are made that the greatest Poison album is Crack A Smile.  

When Poison went to record their fifth studio album, Crack A Smile, they were at a crossroads. Long gone was original guitarist C.C. DeVille. His replacement, Richie Kotzen had been fired from the band after it was discovered he was having an affair with drummer Rikki Rockett’s fiancé. Blues Saraceno came in and took over lead guitar duties. Glam was a dying musical genre, and while their previous album Native Tongue had decent sales numbers, they paled in comparison to the first three Poison records. The band had also changed their musical style from glam slam party jams, to socio-political blues rock. It was a huge change that fans had a hard time accepting. So, when Poison went into the studio to record Crack A Smile everything was conspiring against them. They had to make a hit record or their career could be over.

There are very few Poison fans that would choose Crack A Smile as the band’s greatest album. It wasn’t recorded with beloved guitarist C.C. DeVille. It was released five years after it was finished and the band had moved on from those songs. There are no concert staples contained on the record because none of the songs have ever been played live. It’s hard for fans to even know this album, let alone embrace it as the best. Yet, once the album has been consumed a few times, the beauty of the record clearly comes into focus.

Crack A Smile showed that Poison was going back to their party style of glam metal, leaving the seriousness of Native Tongue in the past. Returning to their roots paid big dividends musically. Poison was loose and fun on this record, having a party with their music, and they produced songs that are as classic as any material from their first three records. Except for the cover of the Dr. Hook hit “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” the entire band wrote every song for this release together. And it is that band unity that makes these songs so strong, focused, and fun.

Sexually charged fantasy songs are plentiful with “Best Thing You Ever Had,” “Shut Up, Make Love,” “Baby Gets Around A Bit,” and “Sexual Thing.” All these songs focus on the theme of being used just for sex and that is not portrayed as a negative. It’s taken more tongue in cheek and shows the humorous side of a man being used just for his body. Every boy’s fantasy. Poison hit the mark with songs like these and if Crack A Smile was released in 1987 these all would have been top ten hits.  

Power ballads are also accounted for with “Be The One,” and “Lay Your Body Down.” Poison reminds everyone how power ballads are done with both these songs. They are magnificent beauties that show the ability to write majestic slow jams. And while neither song is as grand as “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” both are amazing in their own right.

“Lay Your Body Down” was even released on the band’s greatest hits record, which ironically came out before Crack A Smile. “Lay Your Body Down” is the stronger of the two with some of the best lyrics the band has ever crafted. The opening lines of “I spend my life waiting for that famous final scene…I believe you know the one…where she falls in love with me” are just fantastic! It’s great artistic writing, painting a scene and setting up the rest of what is to come. “Lay Your Body Down” could give “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” a challenge for best Poison ballad. And while it probably wouldn’t win it would be a close race. “Lay Your Body Down” is stunning.

One of Poison’s best songs is also included on Crack A Smile. “No Ring, No Gets” is a tremendous, light hearted, humorous track that has fun with a serious topic. Blues Saraceno shows off his skills with the solo and the beat of this tune make it a great sing along song. “No Ring, No Gets” would have been a huge concert staple if it was recorded at a different time in the bands career. As it is, Poison should consider adding this gem to their set for upcoming tours. Even the fans who don’t know the song would fall in love with it after one listen.

Crack A Smile is the best work Poison ever recorded and that level of talent would carry over for the studio songs that were included on Power To The People. Even with a new guitarist, Poison was at the top of the mountain with Crack A Smile. If this album had been released at an earlier time in the band’s career it would be as beloved as their first three records are. Unfortunately, Crack A Smile suffered from poor timing and genre preference changes. Thus, it is a record that not a lot of fans know about, and the ones that do are die-hards only. The casual fan has never heard Crack A Smile and that’s the real shame.

The greatest album is…Crack A Smile.

Vital Statistics

Release Date: March 14, 2000

Produced By: John Purdell and Duane Baron

RIAA Sales: Did not receive certification

Peak Position on the US Charts: 131

The album was recorded in 1994 and 1995 but put “on hold” by Capitol records. It would finally be released in 2000 with bonus tracks, due to fan demand.

“Sexual Thing” and “Lay Your Body Down” were previously released on Poison’s greatest hits album.

No song from this record has ever been played live by Poison.

Singles

Shut Up, Make Love

Be the One

Track Listing

Best Thing You Ever Had

Shut Up, Make Love

Baby Gets Around A Bit

Cover of the Rolling Stone

Be The One

Mr. Smiley

Sexual Thing

Lay Your Body Down

No Ring, No Gets

That’s the Way I Like It

Tragically Unhip

Doin’ As I See on My TV

Band Members

Bret Michaels – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards

Rikki Rockett -drums, percussion

Bobby Dall – bass, backing vocals

Blues Saraceno – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals

The Greatest Album Is Vs.

 

The Greatest Album Is… VS

Every band that has been around for a while and released great records runs into this debate; what is their greatest album? The greatest album is… is a column dedicated to tackling that age-old question. What is the greatest album recorded by Pearl Jam? Join with us now as the question is answered and arguments are made that the greatest Pearl Jam album is Vs.

After their debut album Ten received critical and commercial success, Pearl Jam was under immense pressure to release a second album that met or exceeded expectations. They needed to avoid the dreaded “sophomore jinx” and release an album that fans would appreciate and come to love as much as they did Ten. What they came out of the studio with was not only better than their first album, it was the best Pearl Jam album ever recorded. Upon release, the album shattered first week sales records, selling over 950,000 copies in five days. It would remain the number one selling album on the Billboard 200 chart for five weeks and catapulted Pearl Jam to superstardom.

Vs. is a masterpiece. From the guitar crunch opening of “Go” to the quiet closing of “Indifference” Vs. delivers one of the greatest musical journeys ever travelled on a record. Vs. is filled with themes of the time it was released. Police racism is covered on “W.M.A.,” child abuse is tackled on “Daughter,” and gun control vs. gun enthusiasts is documented on “Glorified G.” Pearl Jam used the culture of that time to make beautiful music that portrayed their feelings on some tough issues. Vedder’s lyrical talent was still reaching its peak and he created spectacular words to go along with the astounding music created. The poetic symmetry can be heard on every song.

Hit songs are vast on this album. “Daughter,” “Dissident” and “Rearviewmirror” all went on to be fan favorites. All six singles that were released charted in the top 40 in the US, with “Daughter” going to number 1. The musical spectrum is broad as well. There’s hard rockers (“Go,” “Animal”), soft ballads, (“Elderly Woman…,” “Indifference”), and arena sing along songs (“Dissident,” “Rearviewmirror”).  “Daughter” mixes a clever acoustic intro with a hard rocking bridge and chorus to perfection while presenting a difficult theme to the listening audience. “Dissident” is pure rock, reminiscent of songs from their debut record. And “Rearviewmirror” contains an exceptional opening guitar riff that melts the listener’s ears and then is ingrained in their memory evermore.

While it is filed with staple hits of the Pearl Jam catalog, Vs. also contains a lesser known gem that rarely gets recognized. “Leash” is one of the best songs Peral Jam has ever created. It’s a hard rocking, fist pounding, screaming anthem to youth and uncertainty written at the perfect time in the band’s life cycle. An older more experienced version of Pearl Jam would not have been able to craft such a gem. It took a young, hungry, confused and angry version of Pearl Jam to make such a terrific piece.

Song for song and note for note Vs. is Pearl Jam’s greatest album. One could argue that Ten should hold that honor, and other arguments could be made for Yield, but after careful listening consideration there is only one album that truly stands above all the others. The music is much more urgent on Vs. and the originality is at its best. Vs. took a hungry band that had just reached a small level of fame and notoriety and pushed them into the stratosphere of rock gods. And while the band may have hated all the attention this album brought them, it cemented their career, secured their lifelong fans, and solidified them as one of the best alternative rock bands in the history of rock and roll.  

The greatest Pearl Jam album is…Vs.

Vital Statistics

Released: October 19, 1993

Produced by: Brendan O’Brien

RIAA Sales: 7x Platinum

Peak Position On US Charts: 1

Vs. sold 950,378 copies in its first five days of release

No music videos were made to support this album

Singles

Go

Daughter

Animal

Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town

Dissident

Glorified G

Track Listing

Go

Animal

Daughter

Glorified G

Dissident

W.M.A.

Blood

Rearviewmirror

Rats

Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town

Leash

Indifference

Band Members

Eddie Vedder – vocals

Mike McCready – lead guitar

Stone Gossard – rhythm guitar

Jeff Ament – bass guitar

Dave Abbruzzese – drums

The Greatest Album Is...Under The Table And Dreaming

Every band that has been around for a while and released great records runs into this debate; what is their greatest album? The greatest album is… is a column dedicated to tackling that age old question. What is the greatest album recorded by Dave Matthews Band? Join with us now as the question is answered and arguments are made that the greatest Dave Matthews Band album is Under The Table And Dreaming.

It’s easy to state that any of the “Big 3” albums, the first three albums in the Dave Matthews Band catalog, deserves the illustrious title of greatest. Yet, when stacked against each other and played back to back several times through, one album nudges out the others. That album is Under The Table And Dreaming. The biggest reason for this has to be the overall depth of the lyrics and themes of the songs. While Crash has a sadder tone, and Before These Crowded Streets covers dark and lustful themes, Under The Table And Dreaming conveys messages of hope. Perhaps it was the innocence of a very young Dave Matthews, but most of these songs are free of any cynicism, anger, or doubt. 

There are several brilliant and beautiful songs on Under The Table And Dreaming including “What Would You Say,” “Best Of What’s Around” “Dancing Nancies” and the band’s staple song “Ants Marching.” However, better than even all of them is the rarely spotlighted gem “Lover Lay Down.” It is a smooth jazz, romantic song that features some of the best vocal work of Matthews’’ career and some intense soprano saxophone by the late great LeRoi Moore. “Lover Lay Down” is a dreamer’s song---a great tune to contemplate one’s love life over. 

Another masterpiece, and perhaps my favorite Dave Matthews Band song of all time, is “Jimi Thing.” And while it may currently be less loved due to concert overplay, the studio version is astonishing. “Jimi Thing” is a terrific tune about not letting the chaotic pressure of life overtake you. There’s always time to sit back, relax, and find our “Jimi Thing.” That one thing that takes us away to a special place where we can sit back and ponder all that is good in the world. A deeper dive into the lyrics shows thinly veiled references to marijuana, but our “Jimi Thing” can be almost anything: a muse, a memory, a favorite food, anything that takes us away and calms us for a while. 

Released in the band’s infancy, Under The Table And Dreaming put Dave Matthews Band on the radar of music fans all across America. Producer Steve Lillywhite was able to take the best of what he found in this young group and get the most out of them. Every member of the band had an opportunity to shine and showcase their talents. This is an album where not one member dominates the others; it is a true group recording. And when every member of the band plays to their strengths it lifts each song higher than they would have otherwise been. The whole work of art is captured through the individualistic style of each musician playing together as one. At moments, it is breathtaking. 

Filled with countless amazing songs, Under The Table And Dreaming is one of the most magnificent debut albums ever released. The positive undertones resonate throughout the entire record and leave the listener with feelings of joy and gratitude upon completion. It is a record that can be enjoyed over and over again, with each additional listen providing another nuance of bliss, another reason to love the album. Almost all of the songs have stood the test of time in the 22 years since its release and still have relevancy today. Performed by great musicians who were young, hungry, and hitting their stride, Under The Table And Dreaming is a masterpiece that only the young version of this band could create.
The greatest album is…Under The Table And Dreaming.

Vital Statistics

Released: September 27, 1994

Produced by: Steven Lillywhite

RIAA Sales: 6x Platinum

Peak Position on the US Charts: 11

John Popper played the harmonica on “What Would You Say”

Tim Reynolds played acoustic and electric guitar throughout the album

After “Pay For What You Get” there are 22 blank tracks before “#34” appears as the 34^th track on the disc

Only one of two Dave Matthews Band albums that did not chart at number one in the US

Singles

What Would You Say

Jimi Thing

Typical Situation

Ants Marching

Satellite

Track Listing

Best Of What’s Around

What Would You Say

Satellite

Rhyme & Reason

Typical Situation

Dancing Nancies

Ants Marching

Lover Lay Down

Jimi Thing

Warehouse

Pay For What You Get

#34

Band Members

Carter Beauford – drums, percussion, vocals

Stefan Lessard – bass guitar

Dave Matthews – vocals, acoustic guitar

LeRoi Moore – saxophones, flute, vocals

Boyd Tinsley – acoustic violin, vocals