Less Than Jake

Less Than Jake - National Anthem

Now let's get this out of the way--I listened to Losing Streak by Less Than Jake from start to finish EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. for 18 months straight when I was in high school. This band has shaped me in more ways than I probably know, not only in how I view music and the music industry, but in how I write my own songs.

So, Less Than Jake released Hello Rockview after Losing Streak and I probably listened to HR almost as much. These two albums are easily in the top five 3rd wave CDs ever made filled with classic LTJ whoa-whoas until you become sick, huge blasting trombones and of course huge guitars and production quality . LTJ released some real crap since then. I mean, there have been a few decent songs that would have qualified filled in nicely on their previous albums, but overall, they've lost it.

Recently they put out B is for B-Sides which is a collection of songs recorded for Anthem. This collection is ended by one of the best songs LTJ has ever written.

Maybe I can finally relate to LTJ again, in particular this song. I mean, most of their songs deal with the usual teenage alienation, i-hate-jocks, let's go cruise around the city, or let's drink some beers kind of lyrics that really strike chords with youth and the working class. "National Anthem" takes these themes and internalizes them. I guess the closest thing it is like is "Al's War" (their best song ever) off of Hello Rockview.

Vinnie keeps his textbook boring as shit yet still tight drum part going throughout the whole song. The horns kick in to accent at just the right moments (except who mixed the sax so damn high over the t-bone?!) and at the end it all comes together with the trademark whoa-whoas.

"My American dream is to have it a little better than my parents ever had it. A little bit better than just a force of habit."

Rilo Kiley

Rilo Kiley - I Never

Like George Gershwin's clarinet breaking the codes of jazz ripping the silence wide open at the beginning of Rhapsody in Blue, the voice of Jenny Lewis shakes the speakers with such blunt confidence and pure beautiful grace with the simple statement "I'm only a woman."

Straight out of a 1950s prom with a Sadie Hawkins theme, the song slinks with the bassline that decides to move at just the last second like a squirrel in the middle of the road. Acompanied by sweet and soaring strings, a jazzy vibraphone, and triplet heavy keyboards, Jenny Lewis is clearly the feature here. Her voice has that innocent yet almost broken, but still optimistic quality to it that is simply unmatched.

As the song expands into the midsection and into the final set of 6,023,583 "nevers", Jenny absolutely croons as she sways on "I-i-I-i-I-i-I-i" and you can't help but sigh and nod along and know exactly how she feels: "I never loved somebody the way I loved you."

My only complaint about the song is the false ending which kills a bit of the flow. For the love of God, SAVE IT FOR THE LIVE SHOW. The guitar harmonies are so perfect though. I guess I can't complain too much.

NO-EFF-EXXX

NOFX - Franco Un-American (live on Conan 8/10/04) (link goes to a page where the video can be downloaded)

This was fucking historic. NOFX played their television debut, and will probably never play (live) again on TV. In anticipation of this, I wondered what exactly NOFX had planned up their sleeve for the performance. Was Fat Mike going to rip off his shirt mid performance to show us a sharpie-d chest bearing FUCK BUSH for the whole American late night TV watchign audience? What kind of obscenities would be censored by NBC? Did NBC really understand what the hell they were doing by giving NOFX the opportunity to raise hell for three minutes? I actually hoped they would have played their song Idiot Son of an Asshole, but they did pretty damn well anyway.

In the end, they succeeded my expectations, and had more fun with it. First off, the album version of Franco Un-American is pretty straight forward anti-conservatives, anti-Bush, blah blah. Second, the band all wore anti-Bush regalia. Fair enough. As the band rips through the song, you just knew they were going to whip something out by the end that would no doubt leave their mark.

Sure enough it starts with the censors bleeping out "fucking" out of the line "I eat no breath mints 'cause of fucking hoofed horses." And then Fat Mike pleads "Don't anybody vote for Nader."

As the band goes into the next section, the tension rises. The camera pans over to the face of Fat Mike singing into the microphone. "We all know George Bush is an imbicile." Allright it's starting to get more interesting. Now, as Fat Mike opens his eyes and sings the next line staring directly into the camera, you can see him get this sheer adolescent glee of breaking all the rules, and feeling absolutely thrilled to be doing so. And so he says, "He loves Dick but he hates homosexuals."

bwahahhaa. The producer for Conan is no doubt expressing his anger at NOFX at this point, thinking, this wasn't in the lyric sheet they handed me! GODDAMNIT. NBC is gonna be pissed. This fucking band will never be on TV again!

And that's exactly how NOFX wanted it.

As Fat Mike finishes the last chuckle of Franco Un-American, he puts his hand to his head and shakes it. What the hell did I just do? I'm so punk.

What is not seen on the video clip I have linked is where Conan, very, very nervously (and not trying to be funny at all) meanders onto the stage to meakly thank NOFX for playing. Then after the commercial break he thanks the guests again, and thanks NOFX for pleasing half the audience. I've never seen Conan act that way before. Historic, indeed.

The Close

The Close - John Henry by Decision

Best local rock band in Atlanta in 2003 according to Creative Loafing .

The initial feel of the song kind of feels like you're setting yourself up for a duel. You know, walk 10 paces, turn and shoot. The first two minutes of this song rock you along with a nice groove and slight tension build, most notably in the drums and those upward swooping guitars at the ends of the phrases. You are taking your paces and counting, slowly watching your life pass through your mind...6,7,8.... Then, everything changes a little bit. The drums start to roll, you start to panic. Fuck the 10th pace. RUN LIKE HELL. All of a sudden it feels like everyone is after you. Finally you break free "and ride that traaaaa-ain!"

Say Anything/somanyD ynaM oS

Say Anything - Alive with the Glory of Love

What happens when you smoke waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much weed and go crazy recording your album of songs when you turn 20? Max Bemis knows, and he's letting you know. This song sounds like it came from some sort of twisted emo musical. As the song starts, you really don't really know where the hell it could be going. Okay, a four part harmony in the beginning, that's kinda cool I guess. BOP BOP BOP. The infectious guitar rhythm gets you moving and soon enough the whole band frolics on in, oh yeaaaahhh. At first I thought the lyrics were ridiculous and terrible, but you know, but by the end of the song I wouldn't "let them take you" either (oh hell no), and so what if it's over the top a little bit? It's okay to be cheesy every once in a while.

So Many Dynamos - Laugh about it Later

So the Dismemberment Plan and The Postal Service decided to have a baby consisting of four members in the St. Louis area and called it So Many Dynamos. Laugh About it Later doesn't worry about putting its influences on its sleeve, because the band does it so damn well. The band lays down the groove early with a rolling snare drum and arpeggiating guitar. Soon, distortion pedals are kicked and indie kids everywhere can't help but drop their folding arms and sing along by the time the chorus rolls along: "Isn't this what you wanted? Why act so disappointed?" I swear the dual guitar harmony in the second verse was taken straight from "A Life of Possibilities" by the D Plan, but I guess I could be wrong. The song ends with the disco drum beat/shuffle that's all the rage these days complete with guitar feedback and nintendocore synth. Blue Oyster Cult would have wanted more cowbell in the end, but I guess it works out for the best.