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Rating: What direction would a singer and guitarist have taken in the nineties, if grunge music had not existed? What would have been the sonic direction, the metric, the level to aspire to, the reference to please, the model to derive from?
To put it simply, Mr. Dan Wilson, essentially Semisonic, by 2001 had lost his rock n' roll dreams. This is demonstrated by "All About Chemistry," an album of light guitar pop, all in all quite unpretentious, equipped with a few singles to consistently send to the charts, but that in no way resembles that "pop song that even someone who listens to grunge might enjoy" that is "Closing Time," and that doesn't have the rhythm of "Across The Great Divide," doesn't have the guitars of "Singing In My Sleep," doesn't have the full-bodied rhythm and riffs of "Over My Head"...
Here there is danceable, catchy, and slick pop, stuff for maroon yuppies or for the (pen)ultimate generation of Brit poppers like Franz Ferdinand. Then there's drinkable college rock like a flat soda, and finally a series of ballads just as good in writing as poorly managed in execution, the fault of a too well-mannered band with an excessively light sound. Added to these superficial arrangements is Wilson's interpretation, truly too much like a good boy. For these reasons, one almost doesn't notice the goodness of "Act Naturally," "Surprise," and "One True Love," written and sung with none other than her majesty Carole King. And it is precisely this last track, along with "I Wish," where the right angst comes in the chorus thanks to the electric guitars and a non-credited female backing vocal, that allows "All About Chemistry" to also benefit from a handful of highlights, poor album.
When that minimum amount of rock is missing, it's like missing flour: what dough can you create, what concoction can you ever bring out, especially since your band is a power trio? And the roar of the guitars is like a fitting wine: even if you eat poorly, there's always that which sets everything right. "All About Chemistry" is essentially a warm Sprite, water and sugar with no freshness and bubbles. An addition of a little red wine, as I say, would have transformed something unusable into a public house drink, but that was not the case.
The guitars are like a country wine, strong, "in pietra," as they say in my region. In America, they would say "in stone." Or perhaps, more properly, "in rock."
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Chemistry (04:08)
I remember when I found out about chemistry
It was a long, long way from here
I was old enough to want it but younger than I wanted to be
Suddenly my mission was clear
So for a while I conducted experiments
And I was amazed by the things I learned
From the fine, fine girl with nothing but good intentions and a bad tendency to get burned
Oh
All about chemistry
Won't you show me everything you know
Ah wonder what you do to me Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Some time later I met a young graduate
When I had nobody to call my own
I told her I was looking for somebody to appreciate
And I just couldn't do it alone
So for awhile we conducted experiments
In an apartment by the River Road
And we found out that the two things we put together had a bad tendency to explode
Oh
All about chemistry
Won't you show me everything you've learned
I'll memorize everything you do to me so I can
Teach it when it comes my turn
Fine spring day, California waves
Sweet Pacific scenes through the
Windows of airplanes and hotel rooms
So when I find myself alone and unworthy
I think about all of the things I learned from the
Fine, fine women with nothing but good intentions and a bad tendency to get burned
Oh
All about chemistry
Won't you show me everything you know
Ah wonder what you do to me Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
All about chemistry
Won't you show me everything you've learned
I'll memorize everything you do to me so I can teach it when it comes my turn
It's all about chemistry (California waves)
It's all about chemistry
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
It's all about chemistry (sweet Pacific scenes)
It's all about chemistry
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
03 Act Naturally (03:43)
Our little secret just might be the kind of thing that you can't hide
It's growing like a tangled vine and rising like a river in the tide
And everybody knew when you walked into the room
I was just a fool for you, nothing I could do
Everybody sees you taking control of me
Well I'm not begging for release
I'm just begging darling please, please
Act naturally
Don't let our troubles show
Don't let anybody know
Till we get it figured out
Don't give them anything that they could doubt
Our little problem doesn't seem to be about to go away
As far as I can tell it's gonna keep on showing more with every day
And everybody look, yeah, that was all it took
I can't help believing they can read me like a book
So hide your feelings tight till we figure how to make it right
I don't know what I should but I would do it if I could
Act naturally
Just be you beautiful
Just be you casual
I'll be me before the fall
You be you before this all came down
Don't let our troubles show
Don't let anybody know
Till we get it figured out
Don't give them anything that they could doubt
Just be you beautiful
Just be you casual
I'll be me before the fall
You be you before this all came down
04 She's Got My Number (05:02)
She's got my number she always did
She can always see where my secret's hid
Everything about me is hers to tell
She's got my number she always will
She's got my number I must confess
One look in her eyes and I feel undressed
She can see right through all my little games
She's got my number she has my name
Late night driving with the telephone
In the car and I'm always
Waiting, waiting for the girl to call
I'll be lost on a lonely late night
She's got my number I must confess
One look in her eyes and I feel undressed
All of the world's standing at her door
She don't even care what they're waiting for
And every mistake that I ever made
Every little sin is on her display
And through it all I find that I want her still
She's got my number she always will
Late night driving with the telephone
In the car and I'm always
Waiting, waiting for the girl to call
I'll be lost on a lonely
Late night highway with the telephone
In the car and I'm always
Waiting, waiting for the girl to call
I'll be lost on a lonely
Late night
She's got my number she always did
She can always see where my secret's hid
Everything about me is hers to tell
She's got my number she always will
05 Follow (03:44)
I would sure love believing
In something that's never leaving
Would like to let go the hurting
When everything's so uncertain
You know I tried
To show you what I have inside
Will we laugh at how this all began
When you're an old woman and I'm an old man
Take me wherever you go
Help me forget tomorrow
Love me your best and I know
All of the rest will follow
Love me as well as you know
And everything else will follow
I wouldn't mind pretending
It's something that's never-ending
Would like to believe that someday
We won't be living this way
I know you tried
To show me you were on my side
Could it be that I've already found
The thing that I've been searching the whole world round
Take me wherever you go
Help me forget tomorrow
Love me your best and I know
All of the rest will follow
Love me your best and I know
Everything else will follow
Take me wherever you go
All of the rest will follow
Help me forget tomorrow
All of the rest will follow
Love me as well as you know
09 One True Love (03:51)
All above me the stars are bright
And a sweet suburban breeze is blowing
And down the block are the parking lights
Of a hundred friends who I barely know and
Don't know me
Don't know me
None of them know me
And all through the party I want to leave
(All alone with one true love)
I could be happy if I could be
(In the dark with one true love)
And in the middle of everyone
I still find myself with my thoughts alone
And in the middle of all the noise
Look around myself at the shining toys that
I don't need
I don't need
I don't really need
And all through the party I want to leave
(All alone with one true love)
All of the lights are shining on me
(But all I want is one true love)
In this world I can see
Many billions waiting in the sun
So I'd love to believe
There'd be one of us for everyone
One of us for everyone
Enough to go around
But that's not what I've found
And all through the party I want to leave
(All alone with one true love)
All of the lights are shining on me
(All I want is one true love)
All of my life I've just wanted to be
(All alone with one true love)
Every day and night to be on my own with
One true love
With one true love
With one true love
With one true love
With one true love
10 Get a Grip (03:35)
Lonely boys and your lonely girls
Here at the end of the lonely world
You're finding out if there's someone to cry about
Lonely girls and your lonely boys
Playing alone with your lonely toys
Well don't be blue coz there's no one to play with you
Get a grip on yourself you know you should
I got a grip on myself and it feels good
Get a grip on yourself take my advice
I got a grip on myself and it feels nice
When the lights come on and the party's through
There are always a few with nobody to do
Well now don't despair, you'll eventually get there
And meanwhile all of the lonely ones
Here's what to do while you wait for the sun to rise above
The loneliest kind of love
Get a grip on yourself you know you should (get a grip on yourself)
I got a grip on myself and it feels good
Get a grip on yourself take my advice (get a grip on yourself)
I got a grip on myself and it feels nice
Well it feels nice
Yeah it feels nice
Well it feels nice
Yes it feels nice
If you're looking for someone to get a grip on you
First you've gotta get a grip on yourself its true
Get a grip on yourself you know you should (get a grip on yourself)
I got a grip on myself and it feels good
Get a grip on yourself take my advice (get a grip on yourself)
I got a grip on myself and it feels nice
Well it feels nice
Yeah it feels nice
Well it feels nice
11 Surprise (03:48)
I feel the day is arriving soon,
When I can't stay around any more,
They'll look in all the familiar rooms,
Until they feel the breeze through the door.
Then they can say it's the company that I keep,
So they never have to believe in the tears I weep.
I'm gonna surprise them all,
When they look and I'm gone, gone, gone,
I'm gonna surprise them all,
Because I've already moved along.
You can stay if you have to do,
It's got to be your own decision,
But someday I will be back for you,
And then you better not refuse me again.
'Cause one more chance is all I'll promise to provide,
And circumstances choose for those who can't decide.
I'm gonna surprise them all,
When they look and I'm gone, gone, gone,
I'm gonna surprise them all,
Because I've already moved along,
Already moved along.
(I'm gonna surprise them all)
Yeah, I'm gonna surprise them all,
When they look and I'm gone, gone, gone,
I'm gonna surprise them all,
Because I've already moved along,
I'm gonna surprise them all,
When they look and I'm gone, gone, gone,
I'm gonna surprise them all,
Because I've already moved along,
Already moved along.
12 El Matador (05:08)
Matador sweeps the veil
From the last young day of my life
Malibu tides inhale
Santa Ana Winds from behind
Wade out into the water
No more chances this year
I've busied myself all summer
My day for swimming is here
Yes it's time
Seaside revelations
All those dreams and visions of mine
Washed up like a vacation
Lost as I wasted my time
Looking through my dark glasses
I see smiles on the faces of friends
But time keeps pushing me on now
And I'll ride this wave till the end
Please don't go away
Stay awhile, stay awhile
Please don't go away
Stay awhile, stay awhile
Say goodbye to the weekend
And the last of the summertime sun
Driving off the end of a decade
So many things to be done
September and the trees are restless
Windchimes blow in the dark
Lying on the couch defenseless
With blue clouds court and spark
Please don't go away
Stay awhile, stay awhile
Please don't go away
Stay awhile, stay awhile
Please don't go away
Stay awhile, stay awhile
Please don't go away
Stay awhile, stay awhile
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