This Is Easy: The Best of Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw · 2000
75 min · 22 tracks · rock music
Catchy melodies and jangly guitars intertwine with witty lyrics, reflecting the charm of power pop and rock influences.
Top tracks — play these first
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Someday, Someway — As one of Crenshaw's most recognizable songs, this track exemplifies his knack for blending catchy hooks with introspective lyrics about love and longing.
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Cynical Girl — This song features sharp wit and infectious energy, showcasing Crenshaw's ability to infuse humor into his storytelling while maintaining an upbeat tempo.
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You're My Favorite Waste of Time — With its playful lyrics and memorable melody, this track captures the essence of youthful romance and is often cited as a fan favorite.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
This compilation highlights Crenshaw's catchy melodies and lyrical wit but lacks a cohesive narrative flow.
What we noticed
- The lyrical content often includes witty and clever observations, reflecting a distinct narrative style.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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4/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- nostalgic sing-alongs with friends
- short bursts of catchy melodies
- wave-like pacing for easy listening
- for sunny afternoons
- light-hearted reflections on love
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of lengthy epics
- prefer heavy, intense experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2000, This Is Easy: The Best of Marshall Crenshaw serves as a comprehensive compilation that encapsulates his career from the early 1980s onward. By this point, Crenshaw had established himself as a respected figure in rock music, known for his adept songwriting and melodic sensibilities. This album followed a period of relative obscurity after several albums in the '90s that failed to achieve commercial success.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Matthew Sweet· The dB's· Big Star
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Something's Gonna Happen 2:17
- 2 Someday, Someway 2:49
- 3 There She Goes Again 2:38
- 4 Cynical Girl 2:34
- 5 Mary Anne 2:53
- 6 You're My Favorite Waste of Time 2:39
- 7 Monday Morning Rock 3:09
- 8 Whenever You're on My Mind 3:18
- 9 Our Town 4:01
- 10 For Her Love 3:02
- 11 I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee) 3:20
- 12 Little Wild One (No. 5) 3:52
- 13 Blues Is King 3:49
- 14 Like a Vague Memory 4:09
- 15 Calling Out for Love (At Crying Time) 4:33
- 16 This Is Easy 3:51
- 17 Somebody Crying 3:06
- 18 You Should've Been There 3:36
- 19 Someplace Where Love Can't Find Me 4:02
- 20 Better Back Off 4:26
- 21 What Do You Dream Of? 3:28
- 22 Starless Summer Sky 3:24
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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