And You Think You Know What Life's About

1998 studio album by Dishwalla

Studio album by

Dishwalla

Released

August 11, 1998

Recorded

Trackholmes, Santa Barbara;
Music Box, Hollywood

Genre

Rock, alternative rock

Length

50:46

Label

A&M

Producer

Marc Waterman & Dishwalla^[1]

Dishwalla chronology

Pet Your Friends
(1995)

And You Think You Know What Life's About
(1998)

Opaline
(2002)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Entertainment Weekly	C−^[3]

And You Think You Know What Life's About is the second album by Dishwalla, released in 1998 on A&M Records.^[4]^[5]

Critical reception

The Washington Post noted that "the band's most bombastic choruses contain echoes of the slick power ballads that grunge banished."^[6] Entertainment Weekly wrote that "when they pull out the cheesy Top 40 stops ... like on the ballad 'Until I Wake Up', they come off like a modern-rock Journey—a guilty pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless."^[3] The Ottawa Citizen determined that "the band remains a non-innovator, relying on go-to guitar riffs and catchy rock melodies."^[7]

Stereo Review concluded that "Dishwalla spends part of its second album whining about the success of its first one."^[8] Rolling Stone thought that frontman J.R. Richards "has managed to shed his grumbly, disaffected vocals for a softer croon on tracks such as 'The Bridge Song'."^[9] The Boston Globe opined that "Dishwalla's chameleon act seems in total defiance of establishing a trademark sound."^[10] The Los Angeles Times wrote that "this angst-filled and metal-tinged sophomore try sinks quickly under the weight of overblown emotion and puerile lyrics."^[11]

Track listing

"Stay Awake" - 4:13
"Once in a While" - 4:42
"Bottom of the Floor" - 3:29
"Healing Star" - 4:21
"Until I Wake Up" - 5:16
"5 Star Day" - 4:12
"Truth Serum" - 5:29
"So Blind" - 3:41
"Gone Upside Down" - 3:59
"So Much Time" - 4:37
"The Bridge Song" - 3:10
"Pop Guru" - 3:34

Total Length: 50:46

Personnel

Scot Alexander: Bass, Vocals
Rodney Browning-Cravens: Guitars, Vocals
George Pendergast: Drums, Vocals
J.R. Richards: Vocals, Guitar, Additional Keyboards
Jim Wood: Keyboards, Vocals
Uncle Jake Richards: Acoustic Guitar and Backing Vocals on "The Bridge Song"
Peter Byck, Marc Waterman and David Young: Backing Vocals on "Bottom of the Floor"
Engineered by Marc Waterman and Jim Wood
Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge at Image Recording, Hollywood, California, assisted by Andrew Garver

References

^ Borzillo, Carrie (Jul 11, 1998). "A&M's Dishwalla taps into 'Think' mode for 2nd album". Billboard. 110 (28): 14, 16.
^ And You Think You Know What Life's About at AllMusic
^ ^a ^b "And You Think You Know What Life's About". EW.com.
^ "Dishwalla Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
^ "Dishwalla Resurfaces On New Label". MTV News.
^ "DISHWALLA: 'AND YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT LIFE'S ABOUT'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
^ "Dishwalla plays its cautious rock". Ottawa Citizen. 5 Nov 1998. p. G3.
^ Milano, Brett (Jan 1999). "And You Think You Know What Life's About". Stereo Review. 64 (1): 89, 92.
^ Chonin, Neva (Sep 3, 1998). "And You Think You Know What Life's About". Rolling Stone (794): 105.
^ Gerard, David (27 Aug 1998). "DISHWALLA". The Boston Globe. Calendar. p. 8.
^ Scribner, Sara (9 Aug 1998). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 66.