SONG OF THE WEEK: 12-21-2025

SONG:  "Say The Word"

ARTIST:  The Classic Crime

ALBUM:  "Albatross"

YEAR:  2006

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Seattle, Washington

YEARS ACTIVE:  2004 - Present

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

The Classic Crime's song "Say the Word" from their debut album "Albatross" is subject to various interpretations, primarily revolving around themes of relationship struggles, personal change, and spiritual longing. While some initial fan interpretations leaned towards a religious meaning, particularly concerning God, others strongly suggest a narrative about a romantic relationship and the pain of witnessing a loved one change.

THE CLASSIC CRIME DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2006 - Albatross (Tooth & Nail Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2008 - The Silver Chord (Tooth & Nail Records)

* Peaked at #123 on the Billboard 200

2010 - Vagabonds (Tooth & Nail Records)

* Peaked at #105 on the Billboard 200

2012 - The Phoenix (Goomba Music)

* Peaked at #130 on the Billboard 200

2014 - What Was Done, Vol. 1:  A Decade Revisited (BC Music)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2017 - How To Be Human (BadChristian Records)

* Peaked at #95 on the Billboard 200

2020 - Patterns In The Static (self-released)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2023 - Grim Age (The Classic Crime Music, Inc.)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON THE CLASSIC CRIME:

The Classic Crime formed as a band back in 2004, hailing from Seattle, Washington. The band quickly inked a deal with Tooth & Nail Records and released their debut full length album, "Albatross", in 2006. This album sold 4000 copies in it's first week making it Tooth & Nail's highest selling debut album. 2008's "The Silver Chord" became The Classic Crime's first album to chart on the Billboard 200, peaking at #123. The band finished their commitments to Tooth & Nail with the release of "Vagabonds" in 2010. For their next album, The Classic Crime decided to ask fans help fund the project through Kickstarter. A practice they would continue since. With that help from their fans, The Classic Crime released "The Phoenix" in 2012. In 2014, the band released "What Was Done, Vol. 1:  A Decade Revisited" which is a compilation album of reworked songs that the band has released up to that point in their career. 2017's "How To Be Human" would be The Classic Crime's highest charting album to date, peaking at #95 on the Billboard 200. In 2020, the band released "Patterns In The Static" and the band's most recent release would be 2023's "Grim Age". The Classic Crime is basically a melodic, poppy, rock band. They often get labeled a Christian band due to their relationship with Tooth & Nail Records. The band members do not necessarily agree with that label as they believe their faith is personal to them. Their faith does end up in some of their lyrical content however. Around the time The Classic Crime came out, I was really getting into similar bands. Think Taking Back Sunday, Anberlin, So They Say, etc. I would say Taking Back Sunday and Anberlin would be at the upper echelon of that melodic rock style. The Classic Crime is a band that sorta falls in line. They don't totally jump out from the pack, but they are a very solid band. "The Coldest Heart" was the first track I heard from these guys back in 2006 and to this day, that's my favorite song by the band.

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Anberlin

Acceptance

Blindside

The Dangerous Summer

Further Seems Forever

TEN THE CLASSIC CRIME SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. The Coldest Heart

2. Seattle

3. Abracadavers

4. The Precipice

5. Ghost

6. The Fight

7. Solar Powered Life

8. The Outside

9. What I'd Give Up

10. Rageboi

SONG OF THE WEEK: 12-14-2025

SONG:  "Dreaming" (Blondie cover)

ARTIST:  Green Day

ALBUM:  "Dreaming" single

YEAR:  2020

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Rodeo, California

YEARS ACTIVE:  1987 - Present

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Dreaming", the 1979 Blondie song covered here by Green Day, is a fast-paced new wave song that explores themes of escapism, the ephemeral nature of pleasure, and the pursuit of personal dreams, often contrasting them with the realities of life and fame.

GREEN DAY DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1990 - 39/Smooth (Lookout! Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

1991 - Kerplunk (Lookout! Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

1994 - Dookie (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200

* Certified 2X Diamond

1995 - Insomniac (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200

* Certified 2X Platinum

1997 - Nimrod (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200

* Certified 2X Platinum

2000 - Warning (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Gold

2002 - Shenanigans (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #27 on the Billboard 200

2004 - American Idiot (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200

* Certified 6X Platinum

2005 - Bullet In A Bible (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200

2009 - 21st Century Breakdown (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

2011 - Awesome As Fuck (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200

2012 - Uno! (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200

2012 - Dos! (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200

2012 Tre! (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200

2014 - Demolicious (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #112 on the Billboard 200

2016 - Revolution Radio (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200

2019 - Woodstock 1994 (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #156 on the Billboard 200

2020 - Father Of All Motherfuckers (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at # 4 on the Billboard 200

2021 - BBC Sessions (Reprise Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2024 - Saviors (Reprise Records)

* Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON GREEN DAY:

Green formed as a band back in 1987, hailing from Rodeo, California. They were originally called Sweet Children. In 1989, they officially changed their name to Green Day. The band's debut album would be 1990's "39/Smooth". After this album, drummer Tre Cool joined the band and Green Day has been Billie Joe Armstrong on vocals/guitar, Mike Dirnt on bass and Tre Cool on drums ever since. 1991 saw the band release "Kerplunk". With the grunge movement in full swing and a burgeoning punk rock revival simmering, Green Day inked a major label deal with Reprise Records. Their first album with Reprise, 1994's "Dookie", went through the roof! With singles like "When I Come Around", "Basketcase", "Longview" and "Welcome To Paradise", Green Day became a household name and instant headliner. To this day, "Dookie" has gone on to be certified 2X Diamond! That's a lot of f'n records sold is all that means! The band followed that up with the much darker "Insomniac" in 1995. 1997's "Nimrod" featured the unsuspecting acoustic hit, "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)". In 2000, Green Day released "Warning" which not a totally stripped down album, but definitely not as distortion heavy as their previous albums. At this point in their career, many thought that Green Day's light was beginning to dim. Then came 2004's "American Idiot"! The band's first concept album, "American Idiot" sprung Green Day back to the top of the heap. This album turned Green Day from great punk band, to one of the best rock bands of all time, period. "American Idiot", "Holiday" "Jesus Of Suburbia" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" were singles that propelled this album to #1 on the Billboard 200 charts and cemented Green Day as icons. In 2009, Green Day released "21st Century Breakdown", yet another super ambitious effort. 2012 saw the band release three full albums, "Uno!", "Dos!" and "Tre!". These are all solid albums but in retrospect, I think the band could have combined them into one 13 to 15 song album that would have been killer! 2016's "Revolution Radio" showed the band hasn't lost a step! Really great album! In 2020, the band kinda lost me a little bit. They released "Father Of All Motherfuckers" which was a pretty big departure to their core sound. I don't know if they just wanted to reinvent themselves or something, but I thought that album was easily the band's worst effort. I mean, I love every Green Day album and that one I might like only 1 or 2 songs. Luckily, the band returned to form with 2024's "Saviors", the band's most recent full length album. What can I say, Green Day is awesome as fuck!! No pun intended..  Like many people, my first taste of Green Day was in 1994 with "Dookie". It wasn't really the singles that got me, it was songs like "She", "Coming Clean" and "Pulling Teeth" that made me fall in love with the band. Also, the song "J.A.R." from the "Angus" soundtrack made me a super fan! At their core, they are a pop punk/melodic punk band but they are much more than that for sure. Billie Joe Armstrong is just a fantastic songwriter. The songs are so catchy and memorable. Green Day is just one of my favorite bands of all time. Just when you think they are done, they just keep putting out killer music, except for that lapse in 2020! Don't know what happened there!! I can't believe their song "Suffocate", which surfaced on their B-side compilation "Shenanigans", never made an official album! That song kicks mucho ass! 

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Foxboro Hot Tubs

Pinhead Gunpowder

The Offspring

My Chemical Romance

Alkaline Trio

TEN GREEN DAY SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Suffocate

2. J.A.R.

3. Going To Pasalacqua

4. Armatage Shanks

5. She

6. Still Breathing

7. 2,000 Light Years Away

8. Know Your Enemy

9. Minority

10. Let Yourself Go

SONG OF THE WEEK: 12-7-2025

SONG:  "Eternal Rest"

ARTIST:  Avenged Sevenfold

ALBUM:  "Waking The Fallen"

YEAR:  2003

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Huntington Beach, California

YEARS ACTIVE:  1999 - Present

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

The Avenged Sevenfold song "Eternal Rest" from their 2003 album "Waking the Fallen" is a complex and dark track that explores themes of torment, despair, vengeance, and suffering. While interpretations vary, common understandings point to a narrative involving lost souls, possibly children, seeking retribution or release from a state of misery, often directed at a figure perceived as responsible for their plight.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2001 - Sounding The Seventh Trumpet (Good Life Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2003 - Waking The Fallen (Hopeless Records)

* Peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

2005 - City Of Evil (Warner Bros. Records)

* Peaked at #30 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

2007 - Avenged Sevenfold (Warner Bros. Records)

* Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

2008 - Live In The LBC/Diamonds In The Rough (Warner Bros. Records)

* Peaked at #24 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

2010 - Nightmare (Warner Bros. Records)

* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

2013 - Hail To The King (Warner Bros. Records)

* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200

* Certified Platinum

2016 - The Stage (Capitol Records)

* Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200

2017 - Live At The Grammy Museum (Capitol Records)

* Did not chart on the Billboard 200

2023 - Life Is But A Dream (Warner Records)

* Peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON AVENGED SEVENFOLD:

Avenged Sevenfold got it's start back in 1999, hailing from Huntington Beach, California. Starting out with a metalcore sound, the band dropped their debut full length album, "Sounding The Seventh Trumpet", in 2001. The band's sophomore effort, 2003's "Waking The Fallen", continued that metalcore style and the single "Unholy Confessions" started to give the band a big bump. 2005's "City Of Evil", in my mind, is where Avenged Sevenfold honed their sound. Gone was the gutteral screaming vocals and their style veered towards a more mainstream heavy metal sound. The lead single "Bat Country" really propelled the band to new heights of success. In 2007, the band dropped "Avenged Sevenfold". This album features the ballad "Dear God", one of my favorite Avenged Sevenfold songs. In 2009, tragedy struck the band as their drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan passed away unexpectedly.  2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King" finished a string of five straight albums that would be certified platinum for Avenged Sevenfold. It also marked the end of the band's relationship with major label Warner Bros. Records. In 2016, the band released "The Stage" through Capitol Records. This would mark the band's first concept album. The band's most recent release would be 2023's "Life Is But A Dream", a true departure in style. Very experimental and avante garde metal. Avenged Sevenfold has been one of the most successful heavy metal bands to emerge in the 2000's. They have a style and sound that allows them to play punk festivals like the Warped Tour or metal festivals like Ozzfest. Sometimes that acts as a detriment to the band from backlash from diehard fans from either genre. Whatever.. the record sales and the sold out tours prove that Avenged Sevenfold is a juggernaut of a band! The first song I heard by these guys was "Unholy Confessions". While that wasn't my favorite song, it definitely planted a seed in my head. The band had me when they released "City Of Evil". I'm iffy on gutteral, screaming vocals. I like some bands that do it, but I prefer the cleaner vocals so I instantly became a bigger fan of the band when "City Of Evil" dropped. I'd also say i'm more of a punk fan than a metal fan but Avenged Sevenfold is one of the band's that crossed over for me. Them and Bullet For My Valentine who I also am a big fan of. 

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Bullet For My Valentine

Stone Sour

Three Days Grace

Breaking Benjamin

Godsmack

TEN AVENGED SEVENFOLD SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Beast And The Harlot

2. Dear God

3. Nightmare

4. St. James

5. Hail To The King

6. Unholy Confessions

7. The Stage

8. Nobody

9. Crossroads

10. Darkness Surrounding