Song Of The Week: 7/28/19

Song: "Folding The Pages"

Artist: Smoke Or Fire

Album: "This Sinking Ship"

Year: 2007

Place Of Origin: Boston, Massachusetts

Years Active: 1998 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Folding The Pages" appears to be a song about people being trapped in the monotony of their own lives. You almost get a sense that people are imprisoned by their everyday lives. The vocalist describes various scenario's, but each is the person's own hell. They may be different, but pain is pain, no matter the form. People are being bombarded by entertainment, politics, consumption, society and religion and at the same time trying to get by living their mundane existence.

SMOKE OR FIRE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2000 - When The Battery Dies (Gunboat Records) (re-released in 2015 under Say-10 Records)
2005 - Above The City (Fat Wreck Chords)
2007 - This Sinking Ship (Fat Wreck Chords)
2010 - The Speakeasy (Fat Wreck Chords)

CURRENT STATUS OF SMOKE OR FIRE:

Smoke Or Fire formed as a band back in 1998, hailing from Boston, Massachusetts. Originally, the band was called Jericho, then had to revise that name to Jericho RVA to avoid lawsuit from a Houston based band of the same name. As Jericho RVA, the band released the 2000 album, "When The Battery Dies" and the 2003 EP, "Worker's Union". Before that EP was released, the band had relocated to Richmond, Virginia as it was getting too expensive to live in Boston. The band changed their name once and for all to Smoke Or Fire shortly after the release of "Worker's Union". That EP caught the attention of Fat Mike of NOFX who signed Smoke Or Fire to his label Fat Wreck Chords. The band's first release with Fat Wreck was 2005's "Above This City". The band's most successful release followed that up in 2007 with "This Sinking Ship". The band recorded a music video for the song "The Patty Hearst Syndrome" off of that album. In 2010, the band put out what would be their last full length album as of the current date with "The Speakeasy". Smoke Or Fire's most recent release was a 2019 split with the band Authority Zero. Smoke Or Fire is a solid melodic punk band. Lead singer Joe McMahon is a gifted songwriter and lyricist and no doubt should get more credit than he does in the punk rock world. McMahon actually moved to Germany a few years back and has been really heavily focused on his solo career. He is one of many punk rock frontmen to ditch the electric for an acoustic and has focused more on a stripped down form of music. The good news is that Smoke Or Fire just contributed to a split with Authority Zero in 2019 so that tells me the band is not dead and hopefully, they are planning on a proper studio album of new material. If you like bands like Banner Pilot, None More Black, Dead To Me, The Lawrence Arms or American Steel then you would most likely enjoy the music of Smoke Or Fire. They are unheralded and under the radar but really a fantastic band!

TEN SMOKE OR FIRE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Honey I Was Right About The War
2. The Patty Hearst Syndrome
3. What Separates Us All
4. 1968
5. Monsters Among Us
6. California's Burning
7. Everything Falls Apart
8. Speak Easy
9. Afghanistan
10. Filter

Song Of The Week: 7/21/19

Song: "Holiday Parade"

Artist: Samiam

Album: "Whatever's Got You Down"

Year: 2006

Place Of Origin: Berkeley, California

Years Active: 1988 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Holiday Parade" is yet another typical relationship on the brink song. The vocalist is sick of being her puppet on a string and being paraded around by her to make her look good. It seems as if she is blind to whatever his needs and wants are and is only looking to fulfill her own needs. It's a one-way relationship and her selfishness will be the end of it. The vocalist has had enough of it and has completely severed ties with this woman.

SAMIAM DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1990 - Samiam (New Red Archives)
1991 - Soar (New Red Archives)
1992 - Billy (New Red Archives)
1994 - Clumsy (Atlantic Records)
1997 - You Are Freaking Me Out (Ignition Records)
2000 - Astray (Hopeless Records)
2006 - Whatever's Got You Down (Hopeless Records)
2011 - Trips (Hopeless Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF SAMIAM:

Samiam formed out of the ashes of legendary Gilman St. punk act Isocracy. Jason Beebout, the lead singer of Isocracy, helped form Samiam back in 1988 as Isocracy disbanded. The band forged an early relationship with label New Red Archives who released their first three albums, 1990's "Samiam", 1991's "Soar" and 1992's "Billy". With the grunge explosion going on in Seattle and alternative rock music taking over radio stations and MTV, Samiam was quickly signed by major label Atlantic Records for the release of their fourth album, 1994's "Clumsy". The band shot a music video for the song "Capsized" off of that album that received fairly steady rotation on MTV at the time. The band's fifth release, 1997's "You Are Freaking Me Out" was the pinnacle for Samiam in my eyes. The single "She Found You" is arguably the band's most popular song. This is the album that made me fall in love with this band. In 2000, Samiam signed a deal with Hopeless Records, the label that they still work with to the present day. The band dropped three full length studio albums with Hopeless. 2000's "Astray", 2006's "Whatever's Got You Down" and 2011's "Trips". After the release of "Astray" there were rumors that Samiam had broken up but they never stopped touring. It just took six years between "Astray" and their next release which was the longest the band had ever waited between albums. The band's last official release was in 2012, a rarities compilation called "Complete Control Sessions". Also, in 2015 when the band was in Chicago to participate in the Riot Fest festival, they recorded a four song demo but it was never finished or released. Samiam is not quite as active as they were in the 90's, but you can still catch them doing tours. Samiam's sound can be classified as melodic punk rock. They are very much an underground band. They found a little success in the mid to late 90's but they never quite became a featured headlining band. When they did headline, it was usually at smaller clubs. To me, their success didn't matter. I'd say their albums from 1994's "Clumsy" right through to 2011's "Trips" are all solid albums. Samiam never disappoints me when they release new material. If you like bands like Hot Water Music, Face To Face, Lifetime, The Lawrence Arms or The Draft and you haven't heard Samiam, do yourself a favor and check them out. Really, really good band!!

TEN SAMIAM SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Full On
2. She Found You
3. Sunshine
4. Stepson
5. Here Comes Your Man (The Pixies cover)
6. Storm Clouds
7. 80 West
8. Slumbering
9. Don't Break Me
10. Underground

Song Of The Week: 7/14/19

Song: "Beach Party"

Artist: The Cootees

Album: "Let's Play House"

Year: 1997

Place Of Origin: Bremerton, Washington

Years Active: 1997



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Beach Party" is a pretty straight forward song. There's a party at the beach and the vocalist is trying to get a date with a girl that he likes there. Oh, to be a teenager again!!!

THE COOTEES DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1997 - Let's Play House (Tooth & Nail Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF THE COOTEES:

The Cootees were a collaboration between Mike Herrera (guitar/vocals) and Tom Wisniewski (drums) of MXPX and Dale Yob (guitar/vocals) and Jiles O'Neal (bass/vocals) of Ninety Pound Wuss. The band released one full length album, "Let's Play House", in 1997 through Tooth & Nail Records. This album was released just before MXPX signed on to major label A&M Records so I'm not sure if this was released to fulfill Mike Herrera and MXPX's contract with Tooth & Nail or not. Though the band has never officially said they have broken up, there are no plans for The Cootees when it comes to new music or touring. It seems like it was just a one shot deal in 1997, then the members went on to focus on their main projects. MXPX at this time was definitely on a rising trajectory so Herrera and Wisniewski put most of their focus on that band. The Cootees are a pop punk band and obviously, the MXPX dynamic is definitely present in the album so if you like bands like Autopilot Off, Enemy You, Slick Shoes, Riddlin' Kids and, of course, MXPX, they you should check out The Cootees album. It's not as good as MXPX albums, but it's a great little rare nugget from Mike Herrera and the boys!

TEN THE COOTEES SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. D.D.F.
2. Mike's Waiting
3. I'm Ok You're Ok
4. (Blank)
5. Shut Up
6. What You Hate
7. I Want The World
8. They Don't Know
9. Dirty Punk
10. Deadbeat

Song Of The Week: 7/7/19

Song: "Anna Lee"

Artist: Strung Out

Album: "Exile In Oblivion"

Year: 2004

Place Of Origin: Simi Valley, California

Years Active: 1990 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Anna Lee" is yet another song about a relationship that is on the outs. So many of these songs that i've written about have a scenario where the woman is walking out on the vocalist, but in this song, it seems like the other way around. The vocalist is clearly the one who wants this relationship to end. In fact, he wants to get as far away from this relationship as he can because even the surroundings of the city bring back memories that are too painful to deal with.

STRUNG OUT DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1994 - Another Day In Paradise (Fat Wreck Chords)
1996 - Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues (Fat Wreck Chords)
1998 - Twisted By Design (Fat Wreck Chords)
1998 - The Skinny Years...Before We Got Fat (Fat Wreck Chords)
2002 - An American Paradox (Fat Wreck Chords)
2003 - Live In A Dive (Fat Wreck Chords)
2004 - Exile In Oblivion (Fat Wreck Chords)
2007 - Blackhawks Over Los Angeles (Fat Wreck Chords)
2009 - Agents Of The Underground (Fat Wreck Chords)
2009 - Prototypes And Painkillers (Fat Wreck Chords)
2015 - Transmissions.Alpha.Delta (Fat Wreck Chords)
2019 - Songs Of Armor And Devotion (Fat Wreck Chords)

CURRENT STATUS OF STRUNG OUT:

Strung Out formed as a band back in 1990, hailing from Simi Valley, California. Soon after releasing a self-titled 7", Strung Out became one of the very first bands to sign with Fat Wreck Chords, NOFX frontman Fat Mike's label. That relationship would continue and has continued to the present day. The band's debut full length came out in 1994, "Another Day In Paradise". That was followed by 1996's "Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues". 1998 saw the band drop two albums, "Twisted By Design" and "The Skinny Years...Before We Got Fat", which is a compilation of songs that band had before they signed with Fat Wreck Chords. In 2002, Strung Out didn't totally steer away from their skate punk roots but their style definitely started to show more elements of metal and technical playing. "An American Paradox became the band's first album to chart on the Billboard 200 charts. The band kept up steam with 2004's "Exile In Oblivion" and their 2007 release, "Blackhawks Over Los Angeles" would prove to be their most political album to date. 2009 saw two releases from the band again, "Agents Of The Underground" and "Prototypes And Painkillers", which is a b-sides and rarities compilation. 2015's "Transmission.Alpha.Delta" showed a band that has matured well and has gotten really comfortable with their sound. In 2018, the band dropped an acoustic EP, "Black Out The Sky", which was inspired by Alice In Chains' "Jar Of Flies" EP. Most recently, Strung Out has stated that their new studio album will be released in late summer of 2019. The album is titled "Songs Of Armor And Devotion" and the first single, "Daggers", has already been released. Strung Out is very much a part of that mid-90's Fat Wreck skate punk sound. They seemed to be under the radar in the 90's while bands like NOFX, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name and Bad Religion were getting more and more attention. I knew they were a great band when I saw them in the 90's open for No Use shows and Lagwagon shows. A weird thing happened however. In the 2000's, when the skate punk bands started to fade from popularity, Strung Out began to gain more of a following. Perhaps it's due to the fact that a lot of their music contains metal elements and they definitely play a technical brand of punk rock. I personally think their albums from the 2000's, beginning with "An American Paradox", are the band's wheelhouse. High points for me are "Blackhowks Over Los Angeles" and "Exile In Oblivion". And their last album, "Transmission.Alpha.Delta", is an awesome album that's making me giddy for their upcoming album due out soon. If you dig bands like Good Riddance, No Use For A Name, Lagwagon, Pulley or Face To Face, then you gotta give Strung Out a listen. You will not be disappointed.

TEN STRUNG OUT SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Calling
2. Analog
3. The Animal And The Machine
4. Velvet Alley
5. Match Box
6. Andy Warhol
7. Daggers
8. Bring Out Your Dead
9. Ashes
10. Your Worst Mistake