Song Of The Week: 1/17/16

Song: "See It Die"

Artist: Only Crime

Album: "Pursuance"

Year: 2014

Place Of Origin: Santa Cruz, California

Years Active: 2014



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"See It Die" appears to be a song about a people's beliefs and ideals dying. It almost feels like the vocalist and many like him have almost given up to the system or the powers that be. Their soul is dying. As much as the vocalist tries to get them to rise up and stand for their beliefs, it almost feels like a losing battle. It's a place where complacency has won out over revolt and the vocalist is almost sad to see it dying right before his eyes.

ONLY CRIME DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2004 - "To The Nines" (Fat Wreck Chords)
2007 - "Virulence" (Fat Wreck Chords)
2014 - "Pursuance" (Rise Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF ONLY CRIME:

Only Crime formed as a band back in 2003 and features Russ Rankin (Good Riddance) on vocals and Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, Descendents, All) on drums. In 2002, Rankin wasn't happy that his band Good Riddance seemed to be touring less and less and he wanted to be on the road, so he decided to form Only Crime as a way to tour more extensively. The band began shipping demos out in 2003 and eventually signed on with Fat Wreck Chords, the same label that released Good Riddance's albums. After the band released their second album, 2007's "Virulence", 3 band members left and were replaced. At this point in Only Crime's career, it appeared that the band was going to become a much more focal point for Rankin as Good Riddance had announced they had broken up. Due to some health issues involving Stevenson, the band did not take up as much time as hoped. Rankin began working on a solo album and by 2012, Good Riddance had reformed and began touring. Stevenson's health rebounded enough for Only Crime to release their third album "Pursuance" in 2014. Rankin had said the album had been finished a year before it's actual release. Currently, haven't heard much news on the Only Crime front. Their last tour was in the fall of 2014 and Rankin's main band Good Riddance released a new album in 2015 and the band has been touring in support of that. Only Crime isn't too much different from Good Riddance, obviously the vocals of Rankin are prevalent on both. Only Crime is heavily influenced by 80's hardcore bands, most notably Black Flag. If you like your punk to be hard, aggressive and political, then you would like Only Crime. If you're a fan of Good Riddance, think of Only Crime as an extension of them. I've always been a fan of Rankin in any project he does. Definitely one of the great voices in punk rock music and his work in Only Crime is second to none.

TEN ONLY CRIME SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Life Was Fair
2. Take Me
3. Revisionistic
4. Sedated
5. Brand New Scene
6. Shotgun
7. Doomsday Breach
8. What We've Become
9. In Blood
10. Tenebrae