Superchic[k]

Item: Last One Picked
Author: Kevin D. Hendricks

Last One Picked

(2002)

Reviewed by Kevin D. Hendricks

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Inpop RecordsReAL Magazine2002

dance rock pop punk pop rock punk

In 2001 Superchick came screaming on the scene with an incredible debut. It had fresh sounds, witty lyrics and it ended up 40 different TV and movie placements, like "Gilmore Girls" and Legally Blonde. Now Superchick is back with their sophomore album, Last One Picked, and it's even better.

Musically, Last One Picked is more of their pop-punk with a groove, but in places it has a harder edge. A few songs lack the smooth, polished sound of their debut, and that's a good thing. They also manage to throw in an impressive piano ballad ("We All Fall"), a slower acoustic number ("I Belong to You"), and a quirky Weezer-like number ("Princes and Frogs"). Last One Picked also displays more of the band's humor and attitude.

The lyrics delve further into the wealth of teen issues that the band only started to address in their debut. The album title hints at the theme of acceptance and superficial rejection. Trying to live up to the cover of Seventeen and being role model are also explored. The lyrics also cover chasing your dreams, a big theme from Karaoke Superstar.

"High School" is one of the best songs, with its shout-back chorus, bouncing rhythm, and disgust with the immaturity of high school: "These are the rules, the ways of high school / if someone puts you down, that's so high school / believing they're too cool for you, that's so high school / if you believe it too, that's also high school / I know I'll be graduating early."

"Hero" rises and falls like the lyrics, tales of characters who have to make the right choice. It's a simple example of what Superchick is so good at, showing how the smallest things can be heroic acts: "A kindness from you might have saved his life."