Song Of The Week: 3/5/17

Song: "Given To Fly"

Artist: Pearl Jam

Album: "Fenway Park, Boston, MA 8/5/16"

Year: 2016

Place Of Origin: Seattle, Washington

Years Active: 1990 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Given To Fly" appears to be a song about a man who at first runs away from his own demons and struggles in life but soon has an epiphany. Something happens to him that has such an effect on him that he finally sees a way to break the chains of all that held him down. It's such a strong moment that he wants to go back and share what he's learned and help others who were just like him. Of course, there are always those who want to still keep him down but he will not be grounded and he will fight off hate with love no matter what. This version of "Given To Fly" was performed live at Boston's historical Fenway Park on August 5, 2016. The original version of the song appears on Pearl Jam's 1998 album "Yield".

PEARL JAM DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1991 - Ten (Epic Records)
1993 - VS (Epic Records)
1994 - Vitalogy (Epic Records)
1996 - No Code (Epic Records)
1998 - Yield (Epic Records)
1998 - Live On Two Legs (Epic Records)
2000 - Binaural (Epic Records)
2002 - Riot Act (Epic Records)
2003 - Lost Dogs (Epic Records)
2004 - Live At Benaroya Hall (BMG Records)
2006 - Pearl Jam (J Records)
2009 - Backspacer (Monkeywrench/Universal Music Group)
2011 - Live On Ten Legs (Universal Music Group)
2013 - Lightning Bolt (Monkeywrench Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF PEARL JAM:

Pearl Jam came from the ashes of Mother Love Bone and exploded on the Seattle music scene in 1990. The band's debut album "Ten" is a landmark album which has been certified diamond. What does that mean? It means that album has sold massively worldwide! It also propelled the band to superstardom, almost before they knew what had hit them. At the forefront of the grunge explosion of the early 90's, along with bands like Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, Pearl Jam kept the heat on with their next two releases, 1993's "VS" and 1994's "Vitalogy". The pressures of being that big, that fast began to weigh on the band, especially vocalist Eddie Vedder and the band made a conscious effort to start pulling back the reigns. No more videos and less media obligations. They also did a 180 on their next album, "No Code". This was a much softer, more experimental side of the band and really an effort to change it up musically. Battles with Ticketmaster and going into a shell of sorts began to alienate the band from some of it's fans. The band itself was having some inner struggles and wondering if they were even going to co-exist much longer. Luckily, 1998's "Yield" was a return to form for the band. It also marked a full band collaboration whereas Vedder really took over creative reigns on "Vitalogy" and "No Code". From this album on, every band member would contribute to all future Pearl Jam releases. The early 2000's were a bit of a weird time for the band. "Binaural" and "Riot Act" were both good albums but seemed to be lacking something. The band also began offerering their bootlegs from every show available at this time, beginning with the "Binaural" world tour. Their bootlegs continue to be offered through their website to this day. This period also marked the biggest tragedy that the band was a part of, the 2000 Roskilde tragedy where 9 of their fans were trampled to death during their performance. In 2006, the country was becoming more and more split over the actions of the Bush administration post-9/11. The scene was ripe for a band like Pearl Jam to get their creative juices flowing and write what is perhaps their most political album yet, the self-titled "Pearl Jam", sometimes referred to as "Avocado". This album was a breath of fresh air to me. Urgent and hard hitting, an album with a definitive purpose. 2009's "Backspacer" is probably the band's most positive and fun album. The band's most recent effort was 2013's "Lightning Bolt". This album proved that Pearl Jam is still relevant in an ever-evolving music scene. Pearl Jam's sound is a culmination of a slew of influences from The Who, The Ramones, Kiss, Neil Young, Dead Kennedys, Pink Floyd and many, many more! Of the 4 major grunge bands to emerge from the early 90's, Pearl Jam's sound always commanded arena crowds. Their music is powerful. Their lyrics personal and emotional. They have influenced hundreds of rock bands who came after them. They are equally comfortable playing arena anthems ("Alive"), acoustic ballads ("Elderly Woman"), punk influenced hardcore ("Mind Your Manners") and groove laced stompers ("Evenflow"). The band takes more time between albums as they tend to focus more time on their growing families as well as keeping busy with solo and side projects, but they always get back together to tour all over the world and their shows are always epic and must see performances that rival Springsteen and the Grateful Dead. I'd say they are overdue for a new album. Perhaps the band will be inspired by their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017 or the current political turmoil in the United States and drop another aggressive album with a purpose!

TEN PEARL JAM SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Alive
2. Release
3. Yellow Ledbetter
4. Corduroy
5. Rearviewmirror
6. Go
7. Given To Fly
8. Not For You
9. In My Tree
10. Light Years

Song Of The Week: 2/26/17

Song: "Bent Strings"

Artist: Apologies, I Have None

Album: "Two Sticks & Six Strings"

Year: 2009

Place Of Origin: London, England

Years Active: 2004 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Bent Strings" appears to be about a mother who has to deal with the death of her child. It goes against everything that the cycle of life is supposed to be. Parents are not supposed to have to bury their children. It also touches on the awkwardness of those who try to console this person, but can never quite understand what to say or how to say it because they can't possible understand what she is going through. Sometimes there is just nothing you can say. You just hope that time somehow heals the wounds, though that may be unlikely in this situation.

APOLOGIES, I HAVE NONE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2012 - London (Household Name Records)
2016 - Pharmacie (Animal Style Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF APOLOGIES, I HAVE NONE:

Apologies, I Have None formed as a band back in 2004. This English based band actually began as a 2 piece. In fact, their first two EP's were released as just a 2 piece band, those being 2007's "Done" and 2009's "Two Sticks & Six Strings". Soon after these releases, Apologies, I Have None filled out and became a four piece band, which enhanced their sound. They released their debut full length, full band album in 2012, called "London". After releasing some split 7" singles and an EP, the band's most recent full length would be 2016's "Pharmacie". Apologies, I Have None has drawn some comparisons to bands such as Against Me!, The Menzingers, Thrice, The Flatliners and Trash Boat. Though at their core, they have some punk elements and influences, I don't necessarily consider Apologies, I Have None a full on punk band. I'd almost say if you kinda made a punk band out of U2, you might get a sound that compares to Apologies, I Have None. Their themes are often melancholic and some of their songs can build to an emotional rage. I think this is one of the better bands that I have come across recently. As I said earlier, though they incorporate some similar sounds to other bands, I think their style is really all their own and it's quite refreshing.

TEN APOLOGIES, I HAVE NONE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Love & Medication
2. Clapton Pond
3. Coffee, Alcohol, Codeine, Repeat
4. Everybody Wants To Talk About Mental Health
5. 60 Miles
6. Raging Through The Thick And Heavy Darkness Of A Bloodlust
7. Green Green Mabley Green
8. A Pharmacie In Paris
9. Foundations
10. Wraith

Song Of The Week: 2/19/17

Song: "Dilated Eyes"

Artist: Curbside

Album: "Decades" EP

Year: 2016

Place Of Origin: Ontario, Canada

Years Active: 2011 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Dilated Eyes" appears to be a song about trying and failing to pull someone out of a bad situation, likely involving drug addiction. You get a sense by the end of the song that the vocalist is starting to pull away, thinking that he's done all he can do for this person and his help is just not getting through. Though it's a difficult choice, it appears that he is trying to move forward in his own life knowing that he could not stop this person's downward spiral.

CURBSIDE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2012 - The Sound I Know (Bells On Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF CURBSIDE:

Curbside formed as a band sometime around 2011. This Canadian melodic/skate punk band released their debut album in 2012, entitled "The Sound I Know". It took 4 years after that release to hear back from this band as they most recently released an EP called "Decades" in 2016. There is not a whole lot out there on the internet on this band to put forth a little more info but, I would say their style and sound evokes such bands as Strung Out, Face To Face, Asado, Implants and 1000 Degrees. This band is definitely under the radar but, in my mind, this is a band that warrants attention. Being a huge Face To Face fan, I see a lot of that style in Curbside's music. Here's hoping that this Canadian punk outfit continues bringing high energy melodic punk for years to come!

TEN CURBSIDE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Having To Tell You
2. Days In Strides
3. I've Made Amends
4. Saving Face
5. For Those Left Behind
6. In Pieces
7. The Thankless Few
8. Dilated Eyes
9. Breaking In
10. Get It Going

Song Of The Week: 2/12/17

Song: "Honest"

Artist: Thousand Foot Krutch

Album: "Exhale"

Year: 2016

Place Of Origin: Ontario, Canada

Years Active: 1995 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Honest" appears to be a song about hope. No matter what pain or torment you've suffered in life. No matter how often you haven't been honest with yourself or others. No matter how much the struggle brings you down. There is always time to change for the better. There is always a light at the end of every tunnel. Of course, with Thousand Foot Krutch being a Christian rock band, there is often a tie to God and Heaven in their songs and "Honest" is definitely one of them.

THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1997 - That's What People Do (self-released)
2001 - Set It Off (DJD Entertainment Group)
2003 - Phenomenon (Tooth & Nail Records)
2005 - The Art Of Breaking (Tooth & Nail Records)
2007 - The Flame In All Of Us (Tooth & Nail Records)
2009 - Welcome To THe Masquerade (Tooth & Nail Records)
2011 - Live At The Masquerade (Tooth & Nail Records)
2012 - The End Is Where We Begin (self-released)
2014 - Oxygen: Inhale (TFKMusic)
2016 - Exhale (TFKMusic)

CURRENT STATUS OF THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH:

Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian band that got it's start back in 1995. Originally called Oddball, the band released one album under that moniker called "Shutterbug". Soon after they changed their name to Thousand Foot Krutch. Early on in the band's career, they were very much a nu metal band utilizing a rock/rap sound. By the time their third album, "Phenomenon" dropped, the band started to alter it's sound to a more mainstream rock sound. Once album number four, "The Art Of Breaking", was released, the rapping was pretty much gone from the band's sound. The band had a nice 8 year run with famous Christian rock label Tooth & Nail Records from 2003 till 2011 and since have released their albums through their own label, TFKMusic. The band's 2012 release, "The End Is Where We Begin" debuted at #5 on Itunes while their 2014 album, "Oxygen: Inhale", peaked at #11 on the Billboard charts, making it their highest charting album to date. As of February 2014, Thousand Foot Krutch has sold over 1 million albums world wide. The band's most recent effort was 2016's "Exhale". Thousand Foot Krutch is huge in it's native Canada as well as being a very successful act in the United States as well. When it comes to mainstream rock music, TFK is a clear headlining act. If you are a fan of bands like Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Papa Roach, 12 Stones or Trapt then you would most likely enjoy the music of Thousand Foot Krutch. Most, if not all of TFK's music has hopeful themes to them. This is most likely because the band is very up front with their Christian values and religious beliefs and they definitely incorporate those beliefs in their lyrics and songs. I'm not really a big religious person, but good music is good music and TFK has played good music for more than 20 years now!

TEN THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. War Of Change
2. Rawkfist
3. Falls Apart
4. Move
5. Fire It Up
6. Untraveled Road
7. Lifeline
8. Courtesy Call
9. Phenomenon
10. Born This Way

Song Of The Week: 2/5/17

Song: "Heads Up!"

Artist: OC45

Album: "Burn It" EP

Year: 2015

Place Of Origin: Boston, Massachusetts

Years Active: 2011 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Heads Up!" appears to be a song about struggle. The struggle to survive in a world or environment that does everything to keep you down. The struggle to sift through the bullshit and lies that cloud your vision as you try to move forward in life. The everyday struggle to survive and make ends meet just to live. If you don't let all of these things bring you down and you believe in yourself and your ideals, then you should be ok in whatever you do.

OC45 DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2012 - Class & Cruelty (Birdseye Records)
2017 - Happy Accidents (self-released)

CURRENT STATUS OF OC45:

OC45 formed as a band back in 2011, hailing from Boston, MA. Joining a long line of Boston punk bands to represent that scene, OC45 now joins the ranks of Dropkick Murphys, Street Dogs, The Ducky Boys and Far From Finished to name a few. The band's debut album emerged in 2012 called "Class & Cruelty". The band also has two EP releases, 2013's "When It Hits" and 2015's "Burn It". OC45 has just recently released their sophmore full length effort in January of 2017 called "Happy Accidents". This album was self-released by the band and can be found on their own Bandcamp page and Itunes as well. During their career, OC45 has shared the stage with some punk stalwarts such as Swingin' Utters, Street Dogs, Far From Finished, The Scandals, Youth Brigade and The Casualties. As for style? OC45 is a street punk band with a Boston street punk sound. If you are a fan of bands such as Stray Bullets, Have Nots, Far From Finished, Burning Streets or Saturday's Heroes then you will most certainly enjoy OC45.

TEN OC45 SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Far Away
2. 8,900
3. Robbery
4. Heads Up!
5. New Regulations
6. New War
7. Is This Tomorrow
8. Slow It Down
9. Robbery
10. Class & Cruelty

Song Of The Week: 1/29/17

Song: "Weathered"

Artist: The Dangerous Summer

Album: "Live In Baltimore"

Year: 2010

Place Of Origin: Elliot City, Maryland

Years Active: 2006 - 2014



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Weathered" is a song that appears to be about The Dangerous Summer vocalist AJ Perdomo trying to cope with the loss of his mother. It finds him running away on a trip of self-discovery to face his demons. You can tell he is trying to find some sort of acceptance in the world because he no longer has the one person in his life that he can lean on. This version of "Weathered" is the live one from the band's 2010 album "Live In Baltimore". The original studio cut appears on the band's 2009 album "Reach For The Sun".

THE DANGEROUS SUMMER DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2009 - Reach For The Sun (Hopeless Records)
2010 - Live In Baltimore (Hopeless Records)
2011 - An Acoustic Performance Of "Reach For The Sun" (Hopeless Records)
2011 - War Paint (Hopeless Records)
2013 - Golden Record (Hopeless Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF THE DANGEROUS SUMMER:

The Dangerous Summer formed as a band back in 2006, hailing from Elliott City, Maryland. The band's first release was a 2006 EP called "There Is No Such Thing As Science". That EP caught the ear of Hopeless Records and the band and label forged a career spanning partnership which began in 2007. Under Hopeless, the band re-released their debut EP under the new name "If You Could Only Keep Me Alive". This EP contained a few new songs and in 2009, the band released their full length debut album, "Reach For The Sun". This album would reach #42 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Their second album, 2011's "War Paint", spent one week on the Billboard 200 charts at #149. The band's last release would be 2013's "Golden Record". After touring in support of "Golden Record", The Dangerous Summer vocalist AJ Perdomo told the band that he would be taking an indefinite hiatus from music to focus on being a father. In 2014, the rest of the band made it official by stating that The Dangerous Summer had officially called it quits. The Dangerous Summer's style is basically a melodic rock/alternative rock outfit with hints of pop punk elements. If you're a fan of bands like The Swellers, The Starting Line, Transit, The Early November and Acceptance then you would probably enjoy the sound of The Dangerous Summer. While their style of music isn't my favorite genre, I do enjoy a melodic, pop song every now and then and The Dangerous Summer wrote really good songs, often very personal lyrics and strong musicianship. I think they are one of the better alternative rock/pop punk bands out there. It's a shame it didn't work out for them to keep working together and making music.

TEN THE DANGEROUS SUMMER SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Where I Want To Be
2. Catholic Girls
3. War Paint
4. Siren (acoustic version)
5. The Permanent Rain
6. Sins
7. No One's Gonna Need You More
8. Of Confidence
9. Good Things
10. Weathered

Song Of The Week: 1/22/17

Song: "A Portrait Of The Artist As A Drunk Man"

Artist: Rum Runner

Album: "What's The Music Mean To You"

Year: 2009

Place Of Origin: Calgary, Canada

Years Active: 2001 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

Can't find the lyrics for "A Portrait Of The Artist As A Drunk Man" but, after listening to the song, I get the sense that the vocalist has found what he thinks is the love of his life. Perhaps, through his drunken eyes, he misread this because, though he waits for her and though she said she would come back, she never does. He's left with his broken heart and his thirst for alcohol.

RUM RUNNER DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2003 - Association (Longshot Music)
2005 - In Guns At Cyrano's (Stumble Records)
2009 - What's The Music Mean To You (Stumble Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF RUM RUNNER:

Rum Runner formed as a band back in 2001, hailing from Calgary, Alberta. There is not a whole lot out there on the internet when it comes to news about this Canadian punk and roll band, what is known is that their debut album, "Association" came out in 2003. The band forged a relationship with Stumble Records for their next two releases, 2005's "In Guns At Cyrano's" and 2009's "What's The Music Mean To You". Also, besides their three full length albums, the band also put out two 7" singles and one split 7" single. The band's most recent release was the 2011, two song 7" single, "Sings...Tonight! Tonight! Tonight! & Icewagon". Rum Runner considers their sound to be melodic punk and roll. Their style is reminiscent of bands like The Ducky Boys, The Go Set, Knucklehead, My Life In Black And White and Bastards On Parade. There are elements of street punk, folk punk, celtic punk and even some rock-a-billy punk in their music. As I said earlier, there isn't much out there on the net about Rum Runner. No Facebook page. No Bandcamp page. They haven't released anything since 2011 so for all I know, they may have broken up. Your guess is as good as mine.

TEN RUM RUNNER SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. The Leaving Of Liverpool
2. My Rifle, My Pony And Me
3. Tobacco Eyes
4. A Portrait Of The Artist As A Drunk Man
5. The Punks Are Due On Maple Street
6. Torn Ten Dollar Bill
7. You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond
8. So Long Outsider
9. Sugar Sweet
10. Streams Of Whiskey