PW's Song Of The Week: SONG OF THE WEEK: 11/15/20

Saturday, November 14, 2020

SONG OF THE WEEK: 11/15/20

SONG: "War All The Time" (acoustic version)

ARTIST: Thursday

ALBUM: "Live From The Soho & Santa Monica Apple Stores" (split EP w/ Thrice)

YEAR: 2004

PLACE OF ORIGIN: New Brunswick, New Jersey

YEARS ACTIVE: 1997 - present

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

According to Thursday lead vocalist, Geoff Rickly, "War All The Time" is about his upbringing in New Jersey. He added that it was "sort of like love all the time, and the price of trying to have love all the time." The song talks about three important occasions in Rickly's life, which he attempted to model it after Magnolia (1999). The first part details moving to a town where one of his friends' brothers fell off a cliffside, and some of his friends subsequently committed suicide. The second part discusses Rickly discovering music, and the third part talks about love and how that can affect a person's sense of self and confidence. (The video says "Signals Over The Air" but it is "War All The Time".)

THURSDAY DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1999 - Waiting (Eyeball Records)

* did not chart on Billboard 200

2001 - Full Collapse (Victory Records)

* peaked at #178 on the Billboard 200 on 4-6-02

2003 - War All The Time (Island Records)

* peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200 on 10-4-03

2006 - A City By The Light Divided (Island Records)

* peaked at #20 on the Billboard 200 on 5-20-06

2007 - Kill The House Lights (Victory Records)

* peaked at #113 on the Billboard 200 on 11-17-07

2009 - Common Existence (Epitaph Records)

* peaked at #56 on the Billboard 200 on 3-7-09

2011 - No Devolucion (Epitaph Records)

* peaked at #63 on the Billboard 200 on 4-30-11

MY THOUGHTS ON THURSDAY:

Thursday is a New Jersey band that formed back in 1997. The band performed their very first show in 1998 in vocalist Geoff Rickly's basement. Not a big deal right? Well there were three other bands that played his basement that night as well, Midtown, Saves The Day and Poison The Well!! Not a bad show in someone's basement, eh?!! Thursday dropped their debut album in 1999, called "Waiting". It was their sophomore effort, 2001's "Full Collapse", that put Thursday on the map. The band had signed with Victory Records but really didn't have a good experience with them. The only way out of their contract was if they signed with a major label. Thursday did sign with Island Records, but the buyout of the Victory contract basically had the band in the hole. Their first album with a major label was "War All The Time", a fantastic album in my mind. This also turned out to be their highest charting album, reaching #7 on the Billboard 200 charts. The band dropped another album on Island, 2006's "A City By The Light Divided", another strong album. Victory put out a rarities/b-sides/live tracks compilation in 2007 called "Kill The House Lights". In 2009, Thursday signed with Epitaph Records which proved to be a breath of fresh air for the band. Epitaph also encouraged the band to show their social and political side with their new album, "Common Existence". The band's most recent release was 2011's "No Devolucion", which appears to be their most atmospheric and moody album to date. Not long after the release of "No Devolucion", Thursday announced they were going on hiatus. In 2013, Rickly said that it was more of a break up. In 2016 however, the band announced they were all in a good place and they decided to play some reunion concerts which led to a full on tour. In March of 2019, Thursday was supposed to play their last official show but they are scheduled to play the Riot Fest in 2021. While they have been playing shows together, there has been no news as to whether they plan to record music together as of now. Thursday is a top notch post-hardcore band no doubt. My first experience with this band was their 2001 album "Full Collapse". I believe "Understanding In A Car Crash" was the first track I ever heard from them and I was hooked right then. Really, all of their albums are excellent and this is a band that needs to make new music. It's been way too long! This version of "War All The Time" that I chose for my song of the week is probably my favorite track by the band. The acoustic setting with the haunting piano just fits the song beautifully. Thursday is a top tier post-hardcore band in my book. Now let's get back in the studio boys!!!

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Thrice

Taking Back Sunday

Finch

Senses Fail

Funeral For A Friend

TEN THURSDAY SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. War All The Time

2. Understanding In A Car Crash

3. Counting 5-4-3-2-1

4. For The Workforce, Drowning

5. Cross Out The Eyes