As a balm for a troubled world, the band recommends healthy relationships and having “Fun.” “Looking for a Wall” concludes that peace, simplicity and lasting love are preferable to the night life with its empty partying. A man wanting to win back a romantic partner realizes, “I ought to better my best behavior” (“New Planet”). On “Space Man,” the singer scolds a friend for making choices that alienate him from others (“There you go, just like all the other times before … Communication’s lost between the ones who love you”). Most teens will relate to a man whose lifetime of social insecurities include an awkward “Seventh Grade Dance.” Other songs express devotion to a special lady (“Whole Lotta Love”), and urge listeners grappling with adversity to “catch the tiger by its tail” and “keep lookin’ up”(“Hang On”). On the reggae-infused “You Are My Number One,” a realist contemplates his short time on earth, telling his woman how much he cherishes their limited time together.
A mild profanity mars “105,” a cut which also boasts of the ability to talk trash (“I’ve got a chain saw for a mouth to cut you down to size”) and endorses HBO’s violent mob drama The Sopranos.
This disc contains a very positive outlook on life. Smash Mouth’s fun, eclectic rock preaches perseverance and personal responsibility. If young fans hit the skip button on “105,” Picture is worth getting.
