Spotlight
The Flatliners: An Interview About Fake Leaks, National Pride, And Fitting In With Everyone
Sonic Avenues
Sonic Avenues
Going GaGa Records and Ricochet Sound
Montreal, Quebec’s Sonic Avenues’ debut self-titled LP works like the perfect debut should: it’s downright infectious. The opening track, “Hiding From You” sounds like a mix between early Elvis Costello, The Dickies, and fuzz. “Hiding From You” is so catchy, that you’ll swear you’ve been listening to it for years. It gives off the vibe of a track that you loved in grade school, and years later when you’re old and jaded you find a mix CD and the song just destroys your insides. As simple as it is, the bands chemistry just seeps into the recording, and oozes out your speakers, and an opener like that can’t just be thrown together.
The record continues on with “I Want You Now”, which is largely similar, yet without feeling forced. However it does have the one up on “Hiding From You”, as the harmonies in the chorus are guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days. To be honest, every song on the record has the dirty sounding pop influence that gives it its catchy nature. For this reason alone, you may find this record oddly boring after the first couple tracks. However, this is not a record I turn to when I feel like challenging the left side of my brain. It’s rather one I bust out when I have a group of people over. Sonic Avenues makes the perfect playlist fodder for a night of fun songs to drink to (c’mon, we’ve all made that playlist), fitting perfectly among the likes of other depressing ragers like Black Lips, Dillinger Four, or even Lucero’s whiskey soaked lullabies.
Starting with the B-side’s first track, “On Your Grave”, the band chooses rather to slow the tempo down a little, which by and large sets it apart from the A-side. It almost sounds as if these two batches of songs were written over two very different days in the studio, and the eventual output really shows. Not unlike the Welcome To Reality EP attached to the Adolescents self-titled record, or even the Salad Days EP material on Minor Threat’s Complete Discography, the content is different, yet far from compromising. Although the A-side is far from unlistenable, and the difference between the two is far from substantial, I vastly prefer the B-side. This may be due to the apparent raise of the preverbal bar in musicianship, or perhaps even due to the swooning nature of the songs.
Whichever side you prefer, it’s hard not to commend the band for their efforts, and ability to do in one what most bands do in two or more records. They set the bar high with their initial effort, and rather than let that sit too long with listeners, they end up improving their methods in the very same release. The record is full of (relatively) straightforward power pop gems, with little to no filler.
Paul Baribeau
Unbearable
Self Released CD/Vinyl on No Idea Records
Paul Baribeau is a man. More importantly, Paul Baribeau is a human being. A human being who knows how to take what all humans see, feel, hear and think, and turn them into the simplest words. These simple words are then put over simple chords; simple words and simple chords that form emotionally complex, heart felt folk songs. Paul’s newest effort, Unbearable (believe me, the connotations the title gives don’t travel far), is his third full length, and first in collaboration with Gainesville, Florida based No Idea Records*.
I used the term heart felt to describe Paul’s songs, but when it comes to the opening track of Unbearable, “If I Knew”, perhaps bleeding heart would be a better phrase. Perhaps even “Stop the car, I think my world is ending” is even more applicable. Over his signature duel vocal takes, Paul belts, “If I knew what was wrong/I would tell you/Honest, I would tell you/Honest, I would”. The first time I heard this chorus, it felt like a kick to the chest. The collection of words just bleed authenticity. Perhaps honest is the word I’m looking for. He follows that up with “Over and over in my mind/Get to the end, hit the rewind/But it’s hard not to feel like/I’m just wasting my time”.
The record continues on for another 20 minutes in a similar manner, although to Paul’s credit, his method is never contrived. The album is almost worth the price based solely on the fourth track, “The Wall”, as it features a rare appearance of Paul playing electric guitar. It’s not the only reason, the record is worth the cost for an infinite amount of reasons, but hearing Paul play in the socket is a really cool thing.
At multiple times during the record, you, the listener, will develop both a strong feeling of nostalgia, as well as a possible hatred for the world. The juxtaposition of these two feelings creates an occasional uneasy feeling while listening. One second you hate your childhood, and your entire family, and the next you can’t wait to wake up tomorrow morning and just do something. It’s the perfect mix of cynicism, and unfortunate optimism.
Paul’s voice just has a way to capture the hearts, and minds of each and every listener. It’s encapsulating in a way that we rarely experience after the first time a record moves you. The first time you heard Black Flag’s Damaged, or more recently, Reinventing Axl Rose, by Against Me! Paul Baribeau sounds nothing even remotely close to either of these bands, yet the sheer sound of his music demands the same reaction. Paul’s sound isn’t particularly “punk rock” per se, but the intensity and earnestness of what he is saying yields the punk rock comparisons, and fanbase.
Above all, Paul knows that there’s nothing you are in control of other than oneself. Most of his songs are really just stories of failed opportunities, misconceived love attempts, nostalgia, and personal growth. Like all great records, this one goes by a little too quickly. As we near the end of the record, guitar seems to play less of a role in each song, as each set of lyrics becomes more and more personable. It’s rather easy to miss some of the inside tracks, such as “Rolling Clouds”, “The Mall”, and “Black Strat”, but they are definitely worth paying attention to. Although there are a number of standout songs that could easily be considered singles, the true album experience comes from listening to each and every song, and giving each individual track the time to let its message reveal itself. Unbearable is an album from start to finish. If that means you have to work a little harder take in its every nuance then so be it.
*No Idea is handling the vinyl pressing. Paul has self released a small number of CDs himself.
Look Mexico
To Bed To Battle
Suburban Home
This Is Animal Music, Look Mexico’s first full length changed my life; never before had I been a fan of early 90’s emo influenced music, or even early 90’s emo itself for that matter. That record opened my mind up a number of bands, records, and sounds that I regret spending the first huge chunk of my life not paying attention to. Naturally, I was extremely excited when I found out that they would be coming out with a follow up in 2010. Now that the album has been getting regular plays on my iPod, turntable, and computer for the past few months, I feel as if I have given it the natural gestation time that any record should.
To Bed To Battle marks a distinct evolution in sound for the band. On the forefront, we have four less songs, yet the record runs only three minutes shorter. This Is Animal Music was known for having quite a few instrumental songs; lead by no more than audio clips of some experimental tarot cards. To Bed To Battle has ridden itself of the audio clips, and focused more on the bands music itself; combining their more traditional indie sound with epic instrumental bridges to take you farther than you’d have imagined. Having said that, this release is easily the most straightforward, direct indie rock that the band has released thus far. There appears to be less of a focus on musical talent than there is on overall song structure. Not to say that musicians will not be interested in how their respective instrument is represented, the band still continues to push their musical limits, as they’ve always done, doing so just doesn’t take away from the general appeal of the record, as This Is Animal Music may have.
On a song-by-song breakdown, there are some absolute gems here. “I Live My Life A Quarter Mile At A Time” is one of the only punk influenced tracks on the whole record, and it shows. The band perfectly combines their musicianship with raw intensity on this one, and it translates perfectly. Not to mention they punctuate it with “Until The Lights Burn Out?” which is a slower track, yet ripe with bulges and swells. This track eventually leads up to a very climactic end of the A-side.
The 8th track, “They Only Take The Backroads” is easily one of Look Mexico’s greatest efforts thus far. It does the perfect job of reiterating the fact that they can make a soothing ode to their home state of Florida, all the while keeping it interesting for each and every person who has made it this far into the record. The song is largely carried on the back of the organ, but not in a manner that detracts from any other elements. The only thing that could make this song any better, would be an acoustic version, which conveniently can be found on the You Stay. I Go. No Following 7” single.
In the end, To Bed To Battle may not work as well as a complete album as well as his Is Animal Music did. But rather as a collection of songs, it far surpasses any of their releases to date. Not to mention Frank Turner makes a special appearance, and every great record should have that.
Go Rydell
The Golden Age
Black Numbers
Plenty of readers will see the cover art of this record, with its kid riding a bike and seemingly silly band name, and not read this review. They’ll assume it’s a pop punk record, and a good portion of the folks who gave it the benefit of the doubt will now close this window when I confirm this is indeed a pop punk record. But it’s not pop punk in a childish “hey lets go ride our bikes by our crush’s house” sort of way. The Golden Age reflects on those bike rides sure, but the storytelling style is far more like the Hold Steady than the Starting Line. Just much much faster.
Vocalist Chris Scaduto delivers each line with plenty of sandpaper wrapping, but under the gritty croon lays a manic passion that makes every catchy hook feel like a happy mistake. Perhaps it’s a side effect of the almost total lack of choruses to build a comfortable reference point for the melody. The sudden shifts in songwriting style, without the comfortable return to a chorus, leave Scaduto constantly moving forward like a writer who simply can’t stop for fear that his pen will forget what it has to say. With no cute choruses to make an impression with Go Rydell’s singer makes each song a constantly evolving chorus, from delivery to lyrics.
The Golden Age is a lyrical a crash course in mid-20s anxiety. Your friends aren’t as close as when you were kids. The freedom of youth clashes constantly with responsibility. Shit, you think about what kind of parent you’ll be but don’t you kind of miss secret basement shows too? Scaduto’s journal is splayed wide open on this record, but his honest and often mature musings are equal parts essential mosh pit sing-a-long and post-college therapy session. I’m personally fond of this line from “Suck Brick Kid”, “We are story makers, but there is no fiction here. These are those kinds of nights that I will never mention to my kids because I want them to find out themselves.”
Of course the best lyrical and vocal delivery still needs songs to go over them. Thankfully Go Rydell’s musical foundation is just as compelling as its sing-a-long side. At first blush there is an obvious Kid Dynamite influence here from the song lengths to their croaking yet snotty vocalist. They’re fair comparisons and since Kid Dynamite isn’t making records anymore I’m not opposed to having another band on the scene keeping the sound alive. Still these songs are more than just compelling clones and the band uses every possible second to show what they’ve got.
“1955”s hardcore stomp and churning guitars perfectly frame the rage of its first half while subtly evolving for the last minute to lift the song’s hopeful refrain about racial tolerance up with a sudden groundswell of half time bounce and gang vocals.
By evolving musically with the lyrics Go Rydell takes a really powerful line referencing the igniting of the US civil rights movement (“I had this friend when I was thirteen and he said “One day I want to be president”. Laughter clouded his spirit but he stood strong and right then I knew that 1955; Montgomery is still burning inside us all.”) and builds a pedestal of marching guitars and gang vocals to spotlight the moment. Since the record only has nine more songs I’ll just say that it’s made up of moments just like this. Musical backbones seldom match the lyrics as well as they do the vocals. Here it’s rule of the day.
It’s hard to make an impression in fourteen minutes, let alone when literally none of your songs surpass the two minute mark. Go Rydell have a record free of choruses or singles. Yet The Golden Age is one of the most compelling punk records I’ve heard in 2010. Its weaknesses, namely sounding almost scarily like Kid Dynamite, are obvious. But its strengths are remarkable, be it their storytelling lyrics to the constantly evolving nature of every aspect of their songs from vocals to random cowbell hits. Oh, and Go Rydell have only been playing for about a year. I’m hoping this is a warning shot of even better things to come. If not I’ll at least get to enjoy their Golden Age.
Sundowner
We Chase The Waves
Asian Man Records
We Chase The Waves is the sophomore album from Sundowner, aka Chris McCaughan the co-vocalist and guitar player for The Lawrence Arms. Sundowner‘s debut, Four One Five Two, was a joyous mishmash of Lawrence Arms covers and personal originals, scrappy around the edges but full of passion. Given that activity in the Lawrence Arms camp has dwindled down to a handful of concerts and a single EP, it isn’t surprising that this collection of songs feels more polished than Sundowner’s debut. We Chase The Waves lacks the vocal melodies that Four One Five Two had, and replaces them with mostly single vocal tracks. This vocal loneliness creates a much more personable approach for album number two. However the album does holds onto the polished acoustic guitar playing that separated the first Sundowner record from Chris’ previous work in The Lawrence Arms.
The opener, “In The Flicker” is nothing short of heartbreaking. The lyrical content sets the precedent for the rest of the album, but it’s the passion heard in the chorus that really sets it apart from everything else on the album. This is easily the most accessible track on the record, and would make the most likely candidate for a single.
Chris’ punk rock past makes its first appearance on the third track, “Whales and Sharks”, albeit rather hidden. Acoustic power chords help to make it the first direct, upbeat sing-along on the album. Musically however, it is shadowed by “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”, which is largely similar in style, but features an amazing bluegrass influenced electric guitar hook.
Sandwiched in between the two, “As The Crow Flies” grants the listener the perfect opportunity to slow it down. This helps the overall flow of the record by not grouping too many similar styles too closely. The track is rich with metaphoric lyrics that read more like prose than anything else. From a purely writer’s perspective, this is the standout track. Compared to the rest of the album, “As The Crow Flies” has a certain subtlety to it that will keep me coming back, looking forward to track 4. Especially once winter rolls around.
Track 7, “Mouth Of A Tiger” is rather similar to the opener, “In The Flicker”, and as such does doesn’t really add a whole lot of depth to the record. I wouldn’t use the word filler, but I can’t see myself ever playing this song out of order, or separate from the rest of the album, say to put on a mixtape.
“Jewel Of The Midwest”, on the other hand is absolutely essential to the album. The song deals with the struggle returning home can become, a topic that most can relate to in one way or another. One of the more upbeat songs on the album, yet it mingles in with the more poetic slow songs, rather than the couple sing-along songs. It does flow very well into the even sadder-closing track, “What Beadie Said”. A far from romantic look at ones own death. “I’m just a dark horse/With a pale heart/On a cold night/For a long walk”. I wouldn’t quite say that it sums up the album like a great closer should, but it definitely adds a new level of personality; a level most albums strive for.
At this point, it’s hard to tell where Chris’ heart lies. Sundowner, originally a side project, has become more active in recent years but is it because of passion or simply an alternative to pass the time while his main project is on a break. I can’t help but feel that his true talent lies in writing upbeat, yet strikingly cynical punk rock tunes in The Lawrence Arms. It isn’t that his writing for Sundowner is talentless; McCaughan is still incredibly compelling by himself. But the chemistry between he and Brendan Kelly allows for a dynamically varied writing arrangement with his main band. Perhaps it is the lack of this codependency that causes much of We Chase The Waves to blend in with another, perhaps it’s just personal preference from this writer. We Chase The Waves it is still very much so worth a listen, if only for the chance to hear the tracks where Chris’ personal writing talent truly shines.
Night Birds
S/T 7″
Dirtnap Records
Every once in a while a band comes around that has all your favourite bands as their main influences, and sometimes you discover new bands formed of members of your favourite bands. This brings a number of options to the writing table, as no one can imitate your favourite musicians better than, you guessed it, they themselves. Night Birds just so happen to fall into both categories, that of being heavily influenced by not only early 80’s California hardcore, but also being comprised of members of multiple modern day New Jersey punk rock bands, such as Hunchback, The Ergs!, Fast Times, and For Science.
If you find yourself scratching your head at either of these two regional genres, go home and do some homework. If you’re familiar with both, then forget whatever it is you think Night Birds sound like, because they are over and above it. More often than not, it is exceptionally hard for bands, or musicians more specifically to eclipse their previous work once they achieve a dedicated fanbase, as the members of Night Birds have, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem plaguing the members.
Going into the self titled Night Birds EP with a blank slate is essential. If you have anything on your mind when dropping the needle for the first time, Mike Hunchback’s opening guitar riff of “Prognosis: Negative” is going to scare it away, and it will never want to come back. The track is not only jarring, but relentless by nature. This is what Dick Dale would be doing if he were raised on early 80’s hardcore. The song bleeds with influence of 60’s surf rock, punk rock aggression, and Generation Y cynicism. Not to mention Seinfeld, plenty of Seinfeld.
It has literally been decades since the Keith Morris fronted Black Flag was able to put this much aggression into such (ironically) catchy songs. The EP is almost a reactionary account to the realization that George Orwell was right about society all along. Accepting the doomed nature of the human race, agreeing with any and all allegations, and in the case of “Thrilling Murder”, singer Brian Gorsegner explicitly explains how and why he would like to end society. Joe Keller’s lyrics boarder line prose, without detaching too much from the material itself, such is the case with “Unanswerable”. However, this song upsets me because I only now realize how much Joe could have been contributing to The Ergs! on the lyrical side, and not just some of the best bass lines I’ve ever heard, which are far from absent in Night Birds.
The EP is so fast paced, that I often find myself listening to it two or three times in a row, just so I can actually catch all the detail and subtle nuances that went into the writing; I’m already craving more. By the time you reach the instrumental fifth and final song, “Harbor Rats”, I have to wonder if singer Brian is simply out of things to say, or he was simply off convincing his neighbours to drink the Kool-Aid on the day of recording. Either way, “Harbor Rats” is the perfect contrast to “Prognosis: Negative”, as it evens out their full throttle 80’s hardcore aggression with a full surf rock throwback.
Too often in hardcore, bands become the product of their own demise and live only to release a few records before exploding. As much longevity this self titled EP delivers, I can sleep easily at night knowing that Night Birds have a never ending tour schedule, and have extremely ambitious plans to record and release.
The Goodnight Loving
The Supper Club
Dirtnap Records
2010
Since their debut LP Cemetery Trails in 2006, The Goodnight Loving have danced the lines between genres. They have an intense live show only rivaled by that of punk rock bands, the dirty hooks of the garage scene, and lyrics that wouldn’t be out of place on Bob Dylan’s Blonde On Blonde. Starting with that first LP, I’ve had trouble trying to describe their sound to the people I think should listen to them; which realistically is everyone. However, with their newest effort, The Supper Club, they’ve moved another step away from any style you might expect.
The Supper Club is the fourth full length by this Milwaukee band, but their first on Portland’s Dirtnap Records. However, The Supper Club is the first Goodnight Loving record of its kind, and as such it takes time to appreciate. Unlike some of their earlier albums, which very quickly rose in the ranks of my record collection, like Cemetery Trails or Crooked Lake; The Supper Club might not completely grab you in upon first listen. Although it will prevent you from thinking about anything else until you finally crack it. Perhaps this is due to the diversity in tracks. It seems as if each song is followed by another it wouldn’t have naturally flown into, but that is a big part of the eventual appeal of this record. There are many bands who write one song, and continue to re-write it over and over again. Thankfully The Goodnight Loving are not that band.
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Rosetta
A Determinism of Morality
Translation Loss
On 2007’s Wake/Lift, Rosetta established a solid niche for themselves within the burgeoning ambient metal landscape, applying a fairly unique approach to heavy song craft while comfortably remaining within the genre’s parameters. Incorporating equal measures of tar-thick sludge and spacey melodic rock, the Philadelphia four-piece straddles a fine balance between the crushing weight of Isis and the atmospheric tendencies of latter-day Cave In. Not bad company to be associated with, and on A Determinism Of Morality, they’ve taken that sound refined it into their highest quality output yet.
Those familiar with the band’s previous records (the previously mentioned Wake/Lift and its predecessor The Galilean Satellites) will feel immediately at home with this third LP. Rather than pitch any drastic creative curve balls, Rosetta has opted to play things fairly safe and down the middle. If anything, perhaps the most noticeable change here over their previous work is a shift toward slightly more streamlined songwriting. They’re still in the business of writing lengthy, complex and densely layered jams, but this time around they only break the ten-minute mark once (on the record’s title track) in comparison to Wake/Lift’s three tracks that run past that length. The result is a record that feels just a little more accessible and easier to get into; marginally tighter songwriting aside however, not much has changed between records for the band.
That is not necessarily a fault however, and it remains refreshing to hear a band of this style that can be both progressive and listenable without compromising their content. If anything, this is what separates Rosetta somewhat from the myriad of their peers; they know how to write monstrous epics without getting too bogged down in excess. They also give their songs a little more room to breathe than most; where other acts might opt for suffocating heaviness, the band gives ample space between each instrument to move freely and allows legitimate melodies to creep in.
Guitarist J. Matthew Weed spends a fair amount of time playing in the upper registers, carefully weaving single-note lines that gracefully swirl and meander while giving the rhythm section the ability to be heard and not just felt; the bass tone here is warm and round, while the syncopated percussion is tastefully understated and explosively propulsive when the time calls for either. The band makes sparing use of straight-forward heavy riffing as well to satisfying effect, particularly during the jarring noise breakdown on opening track “Ayil” and at the tail end of its follow up “Je N’en Connais Pas La Fin.” Other tracks like the soaring “Revolve” would almost sound pretty if frontman Mike Armine’s anguished, heavily effects-processed roar didn’t keep the proceedings sufficiently brutal, reminding us that despite their shimmering melodic leanings, Rosetta are still a metal band.
A Determinism Of Morality isn’t exactly a game changing release, but it is a strong effort in its own right. Three albums deep into their career, Rosetta have assured themselves a spot as a dependable player in the high-brow ambient metal game, serving up enough deliberately-paced heaviness for metalheads on one end, and enough towering melodic crescendos for delay-pedal loving post-rockers on the other. Quality, if not particularly groundbreaking, goods for both camps.
Stegosaur
Adventure 7”
Seafoam Recordings
With their latest effort Adventure, Stegosaur is exemplifying the indie love of things both old and new; the three song album is being released as both a physical 7” vinyl and a digital EP on iTunes, making for a quick and easy listen. While each of its three tracks is easily discernible from the remainder of the album, they are musically simple. Fortunately for Adventure, Stegosaur possesses a pop sensibility which makes the band’s sound somewhat catchy just the same.
Adventure starts off with “A Headache,” which opens with a four chord palm muted progression and steady tambourine under the vocals of Jerid Reed Morris. Morris’ sense of melody is immediately appealing, with his lower range bringing bands like Weatherbox of even occasionally Say Anything to mind. After 30 seconds the tambourine evolves into drums and bass, and the four chord progression is replaced by a new one, this time distorted. The full band sound is solid, and Morris’ attempts at passion are strong. While the higher tones will inevitably wear on some listeners’ nerves, Morris’ near-scream allows the song to build and grow. The song is all rise, suddenly just falling off at the end. Realistically the biggest problem with “A Headache,” which clocks in at barely over a minute and a half, is that it isn’t longer.
“Big Breath” follows, and contrasts well with “A Headache.” Upbeat moving guitar starts everything off, and remains a staple in the song’s structure. The sturdy bassline keeps things steady in the choruses, while taking a more dominant position in the bridge. Morris’ vocals stay in a safer range, likely giving “Big Breath” a wider appeal than “A Headache” and its hit or miss approach. Although the vocals are more consistent, listeners will notice a musical rotation between gentle verses and a much more aggressive chorus reminiscent of Cursive.
The final track on Adventure is “Bloooooood.” While it is the final and longest song on the album, “Bloooooood” does little to present itself as a powerful closer. The entirety of the track hovers over a steady synth part and although the choruses are somewhat darker than the verses, everything sounds so remarkably similar that the song never builds at all. A quick pause filled with clapping and an energized drum fill suggests the song may be on the verge of a breakthrough, but “Bloooooood” simply falls immediately back into its comfort zone and putters out in the same fashion.
Adventure is a decent indie EP, but not much more. Fans looking for a quick and relatively easy listen have found it in Adventure. For those looking for more fulfillment and something with more substance, however, Stegosaur may not be the way to go with this release.
The Energy
The Energy’s First Album
Team Science Records
The first lesson most kids learn in school is that friends matter. Not in the “this person will support me in my times of need” sort of way, but rather a “that person consistently talks to interesting people, maybe I should pay attention to them” angle. Yes it’s shallow; no I don’t care. This guiding theory has kept Team Science Records on my radar for the better part of three years. A roster featuring Teenage Kicks, Franz Nicolay, Matt and Kim, O Pioneers, and The Swellers is too good to ignore.
With such a varied set of tastes, from hipster pop to skate punk, on display in the label’s discography there aren’t many place’s their impressive back catalog as yet to explore. The one exception is abject darkness, but thanks to The Energy’s new record, The Energy’s First Album, Team Science can now lay claim to even that uncovered territory. And they did it with a punk record.
Real darkness seldom declares itself when it first appears. Heck Ted Bundy worked on a suicide hotline while he was committing his murders. Similarly The Energy has a deceptive music front that leaves the pitch black humor of their lyrics waiting to spring from the shadows during a later listen. Most of the songs follow the same basic pattern. The rhythm section pound out their parts as hard as they can while a feedback choked guitar lead screams out some melody whether the rest of the song likes it or not.
While the production is decidedly lo-fi The Energy lacks the “lets drown it all in shitty production for the sake of it” pretension prevalent in so many lo-fi bands. In fact the closest peers I can think of to their heavily rock and roll inspired sound is Social Distortion, though perhaps Social D with production help from No Age. Under the grit and scratchy recording are simple undeniable punk rock (and roll) songs with a switchblade in their boot.
Or, I suppose if the lyrics are to be believed, in the hand of lead vocalist Arthur Bates. Bates’ deadpan vocals would be right at home fronting a snotty girl crazy pop punk band. Instead his poems for The Energy read like a biker film written by the Khmer Rouge, minus the ethnic cleansing. People are blown up with dynamite. Eyes are cut out. In “Stabbing In The Dark” Bates giggles as he pulls a victim’s brains out, after burning out the eyes of course. “I’m Gonna Cut You Into Pieces” finds the vocalist explaining “I’m gonna cut you into pieces, ’cause you’re rotting up my room, can’t drag you out in daylight”.
It’s not all ultra violence. “Girls Don’t Like Me At All” asks the age old question of whether the girl doesn’t like you because of the way you dress or if she just thinks you’re crazy. Granted I’ve never asked that question of ladies who’ve heard me make murderous threats via song. Still it’s a nice low key moment, even with the lines about someone’s dick not working.
All this lyrical bloodshed might lead some to shy away from The Energy. Good. Screw those listeners. Rock and roll is supposed to be dangerous. I’ll always pick The Rolling Stones over The Beatles because when the Stones owed London/Decca Records one final single in 1970 what they delivered was entitled “Cucksucker Blues”. You don’t have to mean everything you say as long as it’s fun to shout out during a concert. Plus if the Team Science guys are willing to give them a co-sign they probably won’t stab you.
