Song Of The Week: 10/27/13

Song: "New Punk Fashions For The Spring Formal"

Artist: Dillinger Four

Album: "Situationist Comedy"

Year: 2002



"New Punk Fashions For The Spring Formal" is a pretty straight forward song about how the punk rock movement slowly became less of a scene or an ideal and more of a fashion statement. Punk rock, like most anything, especially in the United States, started gaining steam and popularity so clever marketers swooped in and made it a fashion and made it corporate. The heart is still beating in the artists, but they are clearly not happy with the corporate takeover of all things punk. Dillinger Four formed as a band back in 1994, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their first contributions to music came in the form of three EP's, 1995's "Higher Aspirations: Tempered and Dismantled", 1996's "The Kids Are All Dead" and 1997's "More Songs About Girlfriends And Bubblegum". In 1998, D4 released their first full length album called "Midwestern Songs Of The Americas" through Hopeless Records. In 1999, D4 and No Idea Records collaborated on the compilation "This Shit Is Genius". This album featured all the material the band recorded between 1994 and 1997 including their three EP's. 2000 saw the band release a split EP with Pinhead Gunpowder, Billie Joe Armstrong's (Green Day) side band as well as drop their second full length album through Hopeless Records entitled "Versus God". As 2002 rolled around, the band signed on with legendary punk label Fat Wreck Chords and released "Situationist Comedy". In 2003, D4 released their very first live album called "Live At First Avenue". Now begins the lull for the band. As early as 2006, Dillinger Four had said that a new album was just about done and they hoped to have it out that year. The thing that most people don't realize is that Dillinger Four is not the band's main source of income nor is it their main priority. D4 is an underground band and even with touring and whatever record sales they get, it's not enough to sustain the band member's everyday home life so when things come up, having kids, selling houses, etc., it takes a little longer to complete an album and sometimes the band is placed on the backburner. Along with the delays on their next album, their was also an internet leak of the album and all kinds of accusations between the record label, the press and the band. As with anything on the internet, the album got nabbed by peer to peer networks and various other music piracy sites much to the chagrin of Fat Wreck Chords, Dillinger Four and all who worked on the album. Ultimately, "Civil War" was released in 2008 officially. Currently, there is no new news to report on Dillinger Four. As I said before, all of the band members have other jobs and responsibilities at home that it is hard to focus on the band, especially when it doesn't provide enought financial stability to do so. That being said, they are still on the Fat Wreck band roster and they haven't come out and said that they were breaking up either. When the time is right, I'm sure D4 will come out with some new music. While being under the radar, they are a band that reminds me a little bit of The Lawrence Arms. Both bands use clever and funny song titles and though a lot of their songs are fun, skate punk anthems, they do mix in some songs that focus on social issues of the day as well.