SONG OF THE WEEK: 11-16-2025

SONG:  "Baby Britain" (Elliott Smith cover)

ARTIST:  Bayside

ALBUM:  "Acoustic"

YEAR:  2006

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  New York City, New York

YEARS ACTIVE:  2000 - Present

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

The Bayside song "Baby Britain" is a cover of a track originally written and performed by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Therefore, the meaning of Bayside's version is inherently tied to the original song's lyrical content and interpretations. The song generally depicts a character, referred to as "Baby Britain," who is struggling with alcoholism, isolation, and low self-esteem. 

BAYSIDE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2004 - Sirens And Condolences (Victory Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2005 - Bayside (Victory Records)

* Peaked at #153 on the Billboard 200

2007 - The Walking Wounded (Victory Records)

* Peaked at #75 on the Billboard 200

2008 - Shudder (Victory Records)

* Peaked at #54 on the Billboard 200

2008 - Live @ The Bayside Social Club (Victory Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2011 - Killing Time (Wind-Up Records)

* Peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200

2014 - Cult (Hopeless Records)

* Peaked at #24 on the Billboard 200

2016 - Vacancy (Hopeless Records)

* Peaked at #69 on the Billboard 200

2019 - Interrobang (Hopeless Records)

* Peaked at #109 on the Billboard 200

2024 - There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive (Hopeless Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON BAYSIDE:

Bayside is a New York City band that got it's start back in 2000. After putting out some demos and seeking out labels, the band would eventually sign a deal with Victory Records. Their debut full length album would be 2004's "Sirens And Condolences". This album was followed up with 2005's "Bayside". This album featured the single "Devotion And Desire" which really made the band pop. Unfortunately, on Octoboer 31st of that year, the band's drummer, John "Beatz" Holohan, died when the band's tour van got into a major accident while the band was on tour. 2007's "The Walking Wounded" continued success for Bayside. By now they were either headlining or co-headlining with the likes of Senses Fail and Taking Back Sunday. In 2008, the band dropped "Shudder" as well as their first live album, "Live @ The Bayside Social Club". In 2011, Bayside signed a deal with Wind-Up Records for the release of the album "Killing Time". "Already Gone" is a killer track from that album. One of my favorites by the band for sure. In 2014, Bayside signed a deal with Hopeless Records. They are still with Hopeless to this day. The first album they dropped with that label would be 2014's "Cult", the band's highest charting album to date, peaking at #24. 2016 saw the band drop "Vacancy", while "Interroband" was released in 2019. The band's most recent release was 2024's "There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive". Bayside is a punk/pop punk/melodic punk type of band. I always felt they had a unique style from other bands of their era and genre. I think that's because the band's vocalist, Anthony Raneri, just has a distinct vocal delivery. It makes Bayside seperate from the pack in my mind. I got into Bayside very early. The first song I heard by them was "Masterpiece" from their debut album. It was right in that 2000 to 2010 decade where I was really getting into bands like Bayside and Taking Back Sunday and Brand New. Bayside is one of the leaders of that genre of music for sure. Great songs, distinct style. Really awesome band for sure.

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Armor For Sleep

Senses Fail

Taking Back Sunday

Alkaline Trio

The Early November

TEN BAYSIDE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Devotion And Desire

2. Already Gone

3. Winter

4. Duality

5. Pretty Vacant

6. Masterpiece

7. Pigsty

8. No One Understands

9. Prayers

10. Castaway 

SONG OF THE WEEK: 11-9-2025

SONG:  "Holy Shit"

ARTIST:  Against Me!

ALBUM:  "Searching For A Former Clarity"

YEAR:  2005

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Naples, Florida

YEARS ACTIVE:  1997 - 2020

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

The Against Me! song "Holy Shit!" is widely considered a detailed critique of a stagnating rock scene and, more generally, the music industry at large.

AGAINST ME! DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2002 - Reinventing Axl Rose (No Idea Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2003 - As The Eternal Cowboy (Fat Wreck Chords)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2005 - Searching For A Former Clarity (Fat Wreck Chords)

* Peaked at #114 on the Billboard 200

2006 - Americans Abroad! Against Me! Live In London! (Fat Wreck Chords)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2007 - New Wave (Sire Records)

* Peaked at #57 on the Billboard 200

2010 - White Crosses (Sire Records)

* Peaked at # 34 on the Billboard 200

2014 - Transgender Dysphoria Blues (Total Treble Music)

* Peaked at #23 on the Billboard 200

2015 - 23 Live Sex Acts (Total Treble Music)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2016 - Shape Shift With Me (Total Treble Music)

* Peaked at #80 on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON AGAINST ME!:

Against Me! formed as a band back in 1997, hailing from Naples, Florida. Well, actually it started as just a solo acoustic project for lead singer Tom Gabel. It seemed that every EP they would release after their first one, more band members would join. By the time of the release of their debut full length in 2002, "Reinventing Axl Rose", Against Me! was a full band. In 2003, Against Me! signed with infamous punk rock label Fat Wreck Chords. There, they released 2003's "As The Eternal Cowboy" and 2005's "Searching For A Former Clarity". The latter being the first Against Me! album to chart on the Billboard 200, peaking at #114. In 2007, Against Me! signed a major label deal with Sire Records and released two albums with them, 2007's "New Wave" and 2010's "White Crosses". In 2012, Tom Gabel announced that he was transitioning into a female as he had a lifelong struggle with gender dysphoria. He took the name Laura Jane Grace from that point on. The band also created their own label at this time, Total Trebel Music, which all of their future albums were released on beginning with 2014's "Transgender Dysphoria Blues", which would be the band's highest charting album, peaking at #23. In 2016, Against Me! dropped "Shape Shift With Me". This was the last release by Against Me!. The band toured up until 2020 but the Covid pandemic really put a halt to the band's activities. I guess they were moving forward with a new album, but Covid just halted everything and ultimately, Against Me! has been on an indefinite hiatus. Laura Jane Grace has said that the band has not broken up and she still wants to continue on with the band but just doesn't see it happening anytime soon due to the band members working on other projects at the time. Grace has also been hard at work on her solo career as well. Against Me! is a punk rock band. I call bands like theirs "gruff punk". Not sure if that's even a real genre or whatever but they remind me of bands like Hot Water Music or Off With THeir Heads, bands that have "gruffy" vocals for lack of a better term. Not even sure what gruffy means! You know what I mean!! I got into Against Me! in 2005. I saw the "Don't Lose Touch" video and I was instantly hooked. I always saw them as a band that stood out from the pack. I would put them in a leader category, definitely not a follower. I'm hoping they get their act together and reunite to make new music soon. I got my fingers crossed!

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Laura Jane Grace

The Menzingers

Alkaline Trio

The Lawrence Arms

Off With Their Heads

TEN AGAINST ME! SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. I Was A Teenage Anarchist

2. Don't Lose Touch

3. Black Me Out

4. Baby, I'm An Anarchist

5. Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show cover)

6. Sink, Florida, Sink

7. Thrash Unreal

8. Crash

9. Because Of The Shame

10. Lost And Searching In America

SONG OF THE WEEK: 11-2-2025

SONG:  "Dimmer Light"

ARTIST:  Dead Poetic

ALBUM:  "New Medicines"

YEAR:  2004

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Dayton, Ohio

YEARS ACTIVE:  1997 - 2007

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

The Dead Poetic song "Dimmer Light" from their 2002 album "New Medicines" is widely interpreted as a reflection on spiritual struggle, doubt, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels dark or uncertain. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing for clarity and connection, particularly in a spiritual context. The "dimmer light" itself can be seen as a metaphor for a fading faith, a distant hope, or a truth that is difficult to perceive. The band, known for its Christian rock roots, often infused their music with themes of redemption, internal conflict, and the human condition, which are all present in this particular track.

DEAD POETIC DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2002 - Four Wall Blackmail (Solid State Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2004 - New Medicines (Solid State/Tooth & Nail Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2006 - Vices (Tooth & Nail Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON DEAD POETIC:

Dead Poetic formed as a band back in 1997, hailing from Dayton, Ohio. The band members were just teenagers when they started the band, some as young as 13 years old! After dropping a few EP's, the band released their debut full length album in 2002, titled "Four Wall Blackmail". Their sophomore effort, 2004's "New Medicines", was the album that generated some buzz for Dead Poetic, thanks in part to the title track single and video. In 2006, the band released "Vices". This would be the last album the band would release containing new music. They did put out a greatest hits album to fulfill their contract with Tooth & Nail Records. The band wound up calling it quits in 2007. Though some band members said through social media that Dead Poetic was in fact still a band, nothing ever materialized with the band. The plan was to write and record a new fourth album but it would never happen. In 2015, lead vocalist Brandon Rike basically laid to rest any idea of Dead Poetic reforming. The decade from 2000 to 2010, I could see I started following a lot of different genres of music. One of them being bands that weren't quite punk, weren't quite metal and weren't quite mainstream rock either. Think bands like Funeral For A Friend, Anberlin, Blindside and Finch. Dead Poetic falls into that style of music. I got into these guys at the end of their career. I believe "In Coma" from the album "Vices" was the first song I heard from Dead Poetic. Great song! I had to check them out! I really like their albums "Vices" and "New Medicines". While they didn't really stand out from the crowd as a band, they were a nice little underrated band in the early 2000's. 

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Blindside

A Static Lullaby

Secret And Whisper

Funeral For A Friend

Finch

TEN DEAD POETIC SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. In Coma

2. New Medicines

3. Paralytic

4. The Dream Club Murders

5. August Winterman

6. Glass In The Trees

7. Vices

8. Taste The Red Hands

9. Burgundy

10. Four Wall Blackmail