An anthology of about four good songs (Anthology - Alien Ant Farm)

Member Name: edinburgher

Product:	Anthology - Alien Ant Farm
Date:	06/01/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A couple of good singles

Disadvantages: Band doesn't seem to know what it wants to do for much of the album

Alien Ant Farm (AAF) were everywhere in the summers of 2001 and 2001, thanks to being signed for the release of this album partially thanks to their friendship with Papa Roach (another blast from the past). The then ubiquitous 'Smooth Criminal' made it into the dizzying realms of chart success in both the UK and the US and further afield. The video for this track was also on heavy rotation on most music television channels and things looked bright for the band. As well as radio play, the group garnered new fans through the use of this song on the soundtrack for American Pie 2 (oddly enough a film I was paid to review many years ago!) The follow-up single 'Movies' was also generally well received and managed to get into the top 5 in the UK, without really igniting the music listening public in quite the same way.

This album does good work as a guilty pleasure, although it's tricky to discuss AAF without comparing them perhaps unfavourably to the aforementioned Papa Roach and to a lesser extent, Incubus, Sum 41 and Nickelback. 'Attitude' is a good punchy track, while 'Calico' and 'Happy Death Day' have a certain charm despite being a little 'shapeless' as finished tracks. 'Smooth Criminal' picks the pace up dramatically and final track 'Universe' manages to stop things from ending on a bad note.

A great purchase for fans of the band and the others mentioned in the last paragraph, this album can normally be picked up cheaply new, or very cheaply second-hand. Apart from a few great party songs, I am sad to suggest that this album (and the group) has been very much consigned to the history bin. I will always have fond memories of this album and the riotous summers spent listening to it, but interested parties would be better off saving their money and downloading 'Smooth Criminal'.

Summary: Enthusiastically played album, sadly dated